The Runner
by coldplaywhore
Summary: The last place she wants to be is Forks, Washington, but Bella has to go back. Will having a travel companion in Edward make things better when she gets home? Rated M. Twi25 Fic
1. Parking Lot

**This is my Twi25 Entry for Spring 2012. I decided to try and challenge myself a little bit and Risbee strongarmed me into doing this with her. It will post daily and the chapters will be short, just over 1k, so don't ask me for longer chapters. That's the point of this little challenge. In fact, this is the longest chapter.**

**Huge thanks to cejsmom for reviewing this for me and giving such great insight and support. She was invaluable to me. Risbee is the apple to my orange. Let's get on with it, shall we?**

**I'm only gonna do this once. I don't own Twilight. I do love me some road trip stories though.**

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**Location – Rochester, New York**

**Prompt: Parking Lot**

"I can't do it right now, Dad," Bella breathed anxiously into the pay phone as she twirled a few strands of her long brown hair around her finger and then rested her forehead against the cool metal phone. It was difficult for Bella to find a pay phone these days, most people having their own cell phone which made the old phones obsolete, but Bella wasn't like most people. She was a twenty-year-old woman traveling across the country uncertain of where she would be from one second to the next.

It was exhilarating to her.

She felt free and unencumbered by everything. It was the complete opposite of her life back in Forks, Washington, the tiny and oppressive hometown where everyone knew everyone else and they all had a direction for their lives. They would all be bankers, firefighters, doctors, pharmacists and the like. Whatever they wanted to be.

Bella always rationalized that most people knew what they were doing because they had a goal – an end point they wanted to get to. They would graduate high school, go off to college for four years and then go out into the world with a real job and responsibilities before buying a house, having kids and finally settling into retirement in their mid-sixties. However, none of that really appealed to Bella. Her father always said she was a lot like her mother, but Bella didn't really know if that was true, since Renee had left them to fend for themselves when Bella was fifteen years old. Bella could never see herself leaving her family, but her traveling didn't count. She kept in touch with her father on a regular basis and they were still as thick as thieves.

So, instead of following the status quo, Bella had chosen to take a year off of school after she graduated high school, much to her father's chagrin. She was due to start at the University of Washington in the fall, but Bella was still uncertain about it all, even though she was registered to take several psychology classes.

Regardless of what other people may have thought, Bella Swan truly had no idea what she wanted to do with her life.

"Listen baby girl, you know I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't dire." Bella was pulled from her memories by the gruff voice of her father.

"I'm sure it's just another one of her schemes, Dad."

"I don't think so, Bella. Not this time," Charlie declared coolly.

Bella didn't want to believe him, but she couldn't help but sense the urgency in his voice. Though Charlie was the police chief in their small town and everyone always believed him to be severe and brusque, Bella knew differently. They were extremely close and trusted each other implicitly. It was more like they were friends, than father and daughter, which made Bella all the more worried about how her father spoke.

"How long?"

"A week. Two at the most." Bella let out a sigh at looked up at the roof of the small phone booth she was in. It was almost nine o'clock at night in Rochester, and the darkness was setting in, while it was only six o'clock back in Seattle. Her father was probably just home from his shift at work.

On this day, Bella was in Rochester, New York. She had big plans of seeing George Eastman House, which was the home of the International Museum of Photography and Film. That dream would have to be shelved apparently.

"I'll leave in the morning."

"You have no idea how much this means to her, Bella."

"I'm not doing this for her, Dad," she replied solemnly as they said a brief goodbye and Bella promised to call him within the next two days. She stepped out of the booth and onto the rough pavement of the hotel parking lot, feeling like the weight of the world was bearing down on her. She looked up at the hotel sign flashing 'vacancy', and the red neon began blurring together as her eyes filled with tears.

Bella had a newfound determination as she forced the tears away with the palm of her hand and let out a gut-wrenching scream of pure frustration. The few people milling about on the street looked at her with concern, but kept going on their way when they saw she wasn't injured, but rather just making a spectacle of herself.

The last thing Bella wanted to do was head back to Forks, but she also wasn't about to rush home. Bella decided that she would hitchhike back, just like she had done to get her to Rochester. She hoped that she would meet decent people to help her along the way like she had between Chicago and Rochester.

For now though, Bella would head back to her small motel room, eat some dinner and take a bath before settling in for the night.

Early the next morning, Bella had a hearty breakfast at the diner across from the motel and shared some easy conversation with the waitress who was serving her. Though the woman, who told Bella that she had a daughter Bella's age, disapproved of how Bella was going home, she didn't attempt to stop her, which relieved Bella greatly. She was tired of people disapproving of how she chose to live her life.

As Bella made her way down Buffalo Road towards the interstate, she heard a few honks, as was usual when a young pretty girl was hitchhiking, but she was surprised at how quickly a car had pulled over to the side of the road in front of her. Usually she had to walk a few, or ten, miles along the freeway before a retired couple or single woman took pity on her and offered her a ride.

However this time, it was a silver Volvo that pulled over. Bella was immediately suspicious, but she approached the passenger side window anyways.

Edward was tired and he was only on the first day of his trip home. It wasn't particularly a journey he was looking forward too, not because of the length of time he would be driving, but because of the destination.

Edward had graduated from New York University with a degree in music education. His goal had been to teach at a public school in New York, because he loved everything about the city, but jobs were few and far between for teachers in New York. In fact, the entire state of New York seemed to virtually no positions available for music teachers. So, with a little pressure from his father, Edward took the first job he got offered, which was teaching music in Port Angeles, Washington. It was an hour from his hometown of Forks, but much too far from New York City for his liking. Unfortunately, he had bills to pay and college loans to pay for. Edward couldn't afford to be picky at that point.

He groaned aloud in his small car, exasperated with the turn of events, as he pulled out of the parking lot of the 7-11, which would provide him his breakfast for the morning. Their extra large coffee and muffins would be enough to hold him over till his next stop, somewhere near Erie, Pennsylvania, if he planned it right.

Of course, the best laid plans of mice and men always go awry, Edward thought as he watched a young girl walk down Buffalo Road, heading towards the interstate with a sign on her oversized blue backpack that read 'Seattle or Bust'. Edward stifled a small grin at her handmade placard and pulled over on the shoulder, the dirt and gravel sounding violent under his tires.

When he pulled to a stop and looked back, he was surprised at how striking the girl was. With long dark hair pulled up into a loose ponytail and a slim build, she was much too pretty to be hitchhiking across the country. Didn't she know the kind of people who picked up unsuspecting girls? Edward shook the thought from his head and rationalized that he watched far too much Criminal Minds. When he looked up again, he couldn't help but notice that she was dressed in a rather tight fitting t-shirt and jeans. She certainly wasn't dressed to walk along the side of the highway in the scorching and humid early August heat either.

It was with nervous anxiety, and a semi hard cock, that Edward lowered the passenger side window down and let her come to him.

"So, you are heading to Seattle?" Edward asked curiously as Bella leaned into the car and quirked her eyebrows at him. She was genuinely shocked that he knew where she was heading. Of course, she really had to go to Forks, but no one ever knew where that was. "You have a sign on your back. I'm not psychic or anything."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that," Bella replied, feeling ridiculous at her oversight. "Are you traveling alone?" She questioned as she looked around the back of his car and noticed a few boxes, but nothing major.

"Yeah, I'm moving back to Seattle for work. I could take you all the way there if you are interested. We could split gas and hotel costs, if we stay anywhere," Edward rambled nervously as he tried to focus on Bella's face, and not the hint of cleavage that called to him from the collar of her tight V-neck t-shirt. "Then again, we could switch out driving duties, if you can drive, and we can get back to Washington faster."

The last thing Bella wanted was to get to Washington quicker because then it meant spending more time with her and Bella wanted to avoid that at all costs. Hell, she already felt strong armed by her father into going home, so there was no way she would stay longer than absolutely necessary. "I don't drive. If I did do you think I would be hitchhiking?"

"Well, no…. I guess not. How old are you, anyways? I'm not about to get busted by Chris Hanson or something, right?"

"Who?" Bella questioned, uncertain.

"Never mind," Edward laughed quietly to himself. "So, how old are you?"

"I'm twenty." Edward breathed a sigh of relief as Bella did the same. He seemed like a nice enough guy, with a reliable car, so she was willing to make an exception to her rule if he offered her a ride. Usually Bella would only drive with women or retired couples. They were the most trustworthy and least likely to steal your shit as you slept, or so she believed.

"That's a relief. Do you still want a ride? I promise I'm not a serial killer or a pervert."

"Isn't that exactly what a serial killer or a pervert would say to get an unsuspecting woman into their car?" Bella asked with a laugh before finally slipping her heavy backpack off her shoulders.

"I guess so, but in my case it's true."

"I think I will take my chances then," Bella stated as she opened the back passenger side door and slid her heavy bag in, glad to be rid of it for a while. A moment later she settled in the front passenger seat and looked over at the driver, getting a much better look at his messy hair and bright green eyes which Bella found rather handsome. "I'm Bella, by the way."

Edward extended his hand out and Bella shook it eagerly. "Edward."

"Well Edward, this should be an interesting couple of days, don't you think?"


	2. Movie Theatre

**I do not support hitch hiking. Don't do it. You'll be chopped up or someone will steal your kidney and leave you in a bathtub. This is fiction.**

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**Location: Interstate 90, Southwest of Buffalo, New York**

**Prompt: Movie Theatre**

The sun rose into the sky as Edward looked at his dashboard and noticed that it was already eleven in the morning. Since Bella had gotten in his car in Rochester they had barely said ten words to each other. The silence was deafening and a bit worrisome since it had been almost three hours since he picked her up wandering alongside the road. They were less than an hour away from Erie, Pennsylvania and Edward couldn't help but wonder how the day would progress.

Though Bella was quiet, her eyes were definitely expressive and Edward was drawn to them. He could see sadness and loneliness plain as day, but there was also something else there, defiance perhaps, that made her strong enough to hitchhike across the country. Edward still thought that was a stupid move on her part – being a beautiful twenty-year-old woman, she was bound to be a magnet for trouble. How she had survived so far was very fascinating to Edward.

For her part, Bella was also wondering how things would go between her and Edward for the duration of their trip. He seemed nice enough; he didn't smell funny, have a yappy dog or look at her oddly, so she considered her latest ride a small victory. When he did look at her though, even if it was just a glance from the corner of his eye, Bella felt like someone was actually paying attention to her, which was a rare occurrence indeed.

"So, I was thinking of driving straight through to Chicago," Edward said, desperate to break the silence between them.

"Okay," Bella replied quietly. She had enjoyed her time in Chicago, spending time with Kate, one of her friends from high school who was attending the University of Chicago. Bella constantly felt like a third wheel while she was with Kate and her college friends, so it was never in Bella's long term plans to stay there. She wanted Kate to have a great summer, which meant that Bella had to move on and find her own way.

Going back to Chicago was somewhat bittersweet since it had only been two weeks since she had left and Bella had hoped she would have seen much more of the world and actually have interesting stories and photos of her adventures when she eventually saw Kate again.

"I have a friend who lives downtown who offered me a place to crash, but since I have a new… traveling buddy," Edward said tentatively, unsure of what to call Bella, "I thought maybe we should just do a motel or something on the outside of the city."

"There's no need to change your plans for me, Edward. I could stay with a friend as well, I'd just rather not. She's already put me up recently." Bella said softly as she began to formulate a new plan in her mind. Edward could stay with his friend and Bella could find another 'traveling buddy' and make her way on to Forks. "Chicago is more than far enough for me to go with you. You've been more than generous."

Edward was surprised by her response as he glanced at Bella out of the corner of his eye. She looked so disaffected by everything; it immediately made him curious about her. Well, even more curious, because he had been interested in how her mind worked since the moment he picked her up. How she could be so careless and free in this day and age baffled Edward. For the time being, he was going to let the situation slide though. "Let's decide as we get closer, alright?"

"That's fine with me," Bella replied hastily before she looked out the window again, trying to take her mind off of everything that was going on in her life.

The scenery through New York hadn't exactly been spectacular; a lot of pine trees and yellowed grass lined the highway between Rochester and Erie. However, she also realized she was in a particularly sour mood since her trip had been cut short. There would be no George Eastman House in Rochester or Museum of Modern Art in New York City. She wouldn't get to see the house where Lizzie Borden apparently killed her parents or the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. Then again, maybe there would be another chance to see everything once she had figured out her life.

"Why don't we get to know each other a little bit?" Edward suggested, catching Bella off guard. She turned in her seat as he lowered the volume on the horrible pop station that had been playing and looked at him in disbelief. "Well, we are going to be together for a little while, so why not ask a few questions?"

"What sort of questions?"

"I don't know... anything."

"Nothing too personal, alright?"

"Okay, I can handle that," Edward replied, though he was hoping he could learn more about Bella, just not the superficial shit the game would afford him. "We could talk about college or high school, maybe about our favorite kinds of music, or our favorite character from Harry Potter. Did you read Harry Potter?"

"Do I look like I live under a rock?" Bella asked defensively.

"Well, no," Edward replied anxiously, worried he had offended her somehow. As he looked at Bella again, his hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. He certainly found Bella attractive the more that he paid attention to her, but he also didn't want to make this trip difficult. For a brief moment, Edward wondered whether or not he should have picked her up to begin with, but then she spoke.

"I have a certain fondness for Neville." Edward snorted rather loudly and began to picture Neville in his mind. He was always the goofy sidekick, with baby fat and crooked teeth, but he was an interesting character nonetheless.

"Neville huh?"

"Yeah, he grew up good. You probably haven't seen him lately, but let me just say, the things I would do to that man would be considered illegal in several countries." Bella smirked happily beside Edward and he found himself adjusting how he sat in his seat. Bella was quiet one moment and eccentric the next; he didn't know what to expect with her. He liked it. "What about you?"

"I always liked Hermione, I guess."

"You guess? You don't sound too sure there, Edward."

"Well, I always liked the smart girls. The ones who could speak their mind and didn't worry about what other people thought of them. Hermione is like that, you know?" Bella nodded her head in silent understanding beside him as Edward thought of another question. "Which Harry Potter character are _you_ most like?"

"I'm more of a Luna, don't you think?"

"I don't know you well enough to guess that," Edward replied tensely as he watched Bella adjust her legs so that one was tucked under the other. Surely that couldn't have been comfortable in his car, right?

"I'm a bit of a free-spirit, my dad is my best friend, I don't really have a lot of friends and I don't really fit into any particular mold, but I'm also smart and fairly resourceful, so I'm sticking with Luna," Bella answered as she looked at Edward intently and he realized that her gaze was both disconcerting and arousing. He didn't quite know how to respond to her answer. "So, who are you from Harry Potter? Let me guess... are you Hedwig, cause you like to get your feathers ruffled?"

Edward laughed heartily and for the first time in three hours, he thought this trip might not be as much of a lost cause as he had assumed. "Nah, I think I'm more like Ron Weasley. You know, with the hair and the awkwardness. I'm much more suited for the job of sidekick than the hero."

"Ron was a hero in his own right," Bella answered and Edward wasn't sure if she was defending him or Ron. Regardless, he would take it as a compliment. "Plus, in the long run he ended up with the smart girl. He had to have been doing something right. You don't have a massive fear of spiders, do you?"

"Not that I know of, but I haven't come across one big enough to scare me," Edward replied with a lopsided grin.

For the next thirty minutes, Edward and Bella shared a comfortable banter back and forth about all aspects of Harry Potter. They discussed their favorite films versions; he was partial to the Deathly Hallows Part Two, whereas she enjoyed the Half Blood Prince. His favorite book of the series was the Goblet of Fire and felt like the movie was lacking, whereas Bella loved The Order of the Phoenix.

Bella even told Edward about the time she dragged her father to the movies to see the Half Blood Prince with her. Charlie was never one for movies, in fact the last movie he saw in the theatres had been Thelma & Louise in 1991, but Bella had been desperate to go so Charlie finally relented after weeks of Bella badgering him. Of course, the entire evening was a comedy of errors as they waited in a long lineup, dealt with snotty kids and the chief eventually spilled soda all over himself as he attempted to find his seat. Once the evening was over, he made Bella promise never to invite him to the movies again.

Though Bella & Edward were drastically different in personality and choices, they could at least agree that they had loved the world that J.K. Rowling had created, and he agreed that she shouldn't force her father to go to the movies again.

"I was hoping to make it down to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando this summer, but my plans have sort of been derailed," Bella admitted regretfully as she looked back out the window and the sign they passed let her know they were almost in Erie. She didn't want Edward to begin talking to her about her summer plans go awry, so she changed the topic quickly. "Did you want to stop for lunch?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. My 7-11 muffins left much to be desired this morning."


	3. Cafe

**Location: Erie, Pennsylvania**

**Prompt: Cafe**

Edward and Bella watched as the roadside signs passed advertising which restaurants were nearby and Edward nearly swerved off the road as Bella squealed in excitement as they passed one in particular.

"They have a Cracker Barrel. Can we stop there?" Edward looked at Bella incredulously. Who seriously got this excited over Cracker Barrel, he wondered to himself as Bella practically bounced in her seat. It was a complete 180 from how Bella was behaving a few minutes earlier and Edward was worried he was going to get whiplash from Bella's sudden change of personality.

"I guess so," he replied coolly, though inside he had to admit it was nice to see her excited about something.

Sure, Edward knew he didn't know Bella very well, but he could see there was something troubling her. She clearly didn't want to head back to Seattle, nor was she in any hurry to do so. He liked seeing her beautiful smile, so he decided to do what he could to keep her happy. However, it also made him wonder _what_ was bothering her.

It was just moments later that Edward pulled off the highway at Peach St and Bella directed him to the Cracker Barrel restaurant located nearby, which they could see from the interstate. Bella virtually skipped into the restaurant and gushed over the menu as Edward sat in the booth across from her looking completely dumbfounded.

"What's wrong?"

"You are just... different."

"Yeah, I'm Luna, remember?"

"No, I didn't mean like that. I meant... this morning when you got into my car you seemed downright depressed about the prospect of going back to Seattle. Now you are looking at the chicken fried chicken on the menu like it's your last meal and you can't wait to savor it." Bella laughed lightly at Edward's comment, but had to admit that he was right; the chicken looked really good.

"I have good memories of Cracker Barrel from when I was younger and they don't have them on the West Coast, so I have to get my fill when I can."

"Does this mean we'll be hitting every one between here and Seattle?"

"Not likely. I'm different, not clinically insane," Bella laughed as she folded her menu and stopped to stare at Edward's grin as he overlooked the menu.

Bella had to admit as she watched him closer, she realized just how cute Edward was. In fact, she was tempted to reach into her bag and pull out her camera to take a picture of him for posterity's sake.

Though she had found him attractive physically when she had first gotten into the Volvo with him, the ease at which they talked over the past hour had made him more appealing to her. However, Bella had to tamp down any feelings she may have had because he was heading into Seattle to begin work and become a real bona fide adult, whereas she was supposed to head to college. They were at different phases in their life, and Bella knew that they both wanted different things.

Edward was going to be the kind of guy with 2.5 kids, a big house with a white picket fence and a beautiful PTA wife. Bella was never going to be that woman, so she brushed the thoughts from her mind and determined that she could be his friend, if nothing else.

Bella convinced him to have a Sweet Southern Peach Iced Tea and a rather large half pound bacon cheeseburger, which Edward was sure he would regret later. They continued to talk about the restaurant, the store and other destinations on their trip and before they knew it, almost an hour had passed.

After they settled the bill, splitting it evenly and with little argument, Bella dragged Edward into the store with her to look around. "I always wanted to get one of these for my dad," Bella explained as she took a seat on a slat rocker and began moving back and forth. "He's very much a sit on the porch in your rocking chair kind of guy. Oh, but he would need a beer... and maybe his gun."

"Um... his gun?" Edward questioned as Bella laughed at the fear in his eyes.

"He's a cop. A police chief actually."

"Great," Edward replied through clenched teeth as Bella could sense his anxiety. "He won't shoot me for bringing you home, right?"

"Hell no, he'd probably have a ticker tape parade or some shit. He's the reason I'm going home to begin with." Bella had sounded animated at the beginning of her comment, but Edward noticed how her voice dropped off when she mentioned going home.

Why in the hell didn't she want to go home? Edward wondered as he checked out a cinnamon broom to the left of the chair Bella was perched in. Everything seemed fine with her family, which made Edward think about whether or not she had a boyfriend back home that she was trying to get distance from? As much as he hoped she didn't, he knew that she was a beautiful girl, surely there was someone else pining for her, right?

As she continued to rock in the chair, Edward's curiosity got the better of him and he couldn't help but question her.

"Trying to avoid a boyfriend or something?"

"Or something," Bella replied cryptically before a person came over and began to question whether or not Bella was interested in buying the chair. Bella explained politely to the woman that she was traveling and couldn't fit the chair with her belongings, and the lady informed her that if she was truly interested then she could buy it online. Bella's eyes lit up like the Fourth of July upon hearing this news.

"Why didn't you just buy it?"

"And put it where? Should we strap it to the roof of your Volvo and drive down the street like we are mad?"

"There's some room in the trunk. After all, it is dismantled and you have to put it together. We could have made it fit."

"What happens when we part ways? I can't carry a chair back to Seattle, though it would be nice to have something to sit on at the side of the road." Bella cracked a smile, clearly pleased with her joke, but Edward already felt himself grow concerned that Bella was ready to ditch him just hours after their journey had started.

He felt a connection to this girl that he simply couldn't explain; he also wasn't sure what, if anything, he was going to do about it.


	4. Ballet Studio

**Wow, you guys really love Cracker Barrel. I want a Cinnamon Broom damn it!**

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**Location: Interstate 90, heading to Indiana**

**Prompt: Ballet Studio**

At just after two in the afternoon, Edward and Bella found themselves on the road again. Bella had a map perched in her lap and was analyzing every square inch of road between Erie and Chicago. Though she knew Edward wanted to spend the night there, she couldn't help but think it would be after ten in the evening when they would arrive, thus eliminating any time he would get to spend with his friends.

"What do you think about stopping in South Bend?"

"Where?"

"It's like an hour or two east of Chicago," Bella explained simply as Edward kept his eyes on the road. "I just don't think we will get into Chicago at a decent enough hour for you to spend any quality with your friends." Bella didn't want to admit it, but she was also a bit tired and thought if they stayed outside of Chicago, they could avoid visiting friends completely.

"I guess you are right," Edward sighed as he realized that he wouldn't get to see Jasper tonight.

Of course, now that he was bringing Bella along for the ride, perhaps staying away from Jasper was for the best. Though they were great friends, Jasper had never met a girl he didn't want to sleep with and Edward didn't need the drama that might follow them if something was to happen. He made a mental note to call Jasper from whatever motel room they ended up at in South Bend to let him know he wouldn't be coming to visit after all.

Edward tried to keep his eyes on the wheel as Bella unbuckled herself and reached into the backseat, fiddling with her huge backpack. "What on earth are you doing?"

"Looking for my iPod."

"Why?" Edward questioned as he felt Bella's hip knock his arm and the car swerved slightly. When he looked to his right, all he could see was a sliver of skin between her jeans and her shirt. His eyes tried to focus back on the road, but then when he looked again, he couldn't help but glare at her ass. Fuck, it looked good in her tight jeans, Edward thought to himself as he tried to focus on the road just as Bella plopped herself unceremoniously back into the passenger seat.

"The radio stations out here suck. How can you have such a nice car, but no decent music?" Bella questioned as he watched her slide her headphones in and begin to fiddle with the music player. Edward didn't hesitate to pull the plug out of her left ear and grin at her.

"In the glove compartment there's an adapter to plug the iPod into the car. If you think this music is shit, why don't you teach me a thing or two?" Edward laughed as Bella quirked her eye brow at him and then quickly opened the glove box, eager for the challenge.

Edward didn't want to ruin Bella's buzz and tell her that he was about to be a music teacher because he was enjoying her enthusiasm, but he was surprised by the first song that began playing through the speakers of his car.

"Is this Stravinsky?" Edward questioned, a bit perplexed considering he was expecting to hear something more mainstream. Bella quickly turned it off and switched to some older Eagles song, which reminded her of her father. "You have the Rite of Spring on your iPod?"

"Yeah... how do you..."

"It's what I do, Bella. I just got my degree in music education and I am going to teach music to middle school kids a little bit west of Seattle," Edward admitted as Bella looked at him with unease. "I'm just surprised that you have it on your iPod."

"Oh well..." Bella paused for a moment, unsure of what to say to the intriguing man beside him. Should she be honest with him? She hardly knew him, but she felt like she could trust him somehow. "I used to dance... ballet, actually."

"Were you any good?"

"Good enough to be accepted to SAB when I was fourteen."

"And for us regular people... what is SAB?"

"The School of American Ballet. It's based out of New York City, but I didn't go so it's basically a moot point." Bella admitted reluctantly as Edward looked at her with a sweet smile on his face.

"Well, I'm sure it was their loss."

For the next few hours, Bella stared out the window of the car, watching the landscape go by as she remembered why she hadn't gone to New York like she always dreamed. Her mother had been her number one fan for the longest time, constantly encouraging her and pushing her harder with each and every class they attended or show they performed in. Unfortunately for Bella, the schedule and training turned out to be too much for her small body. Shortly after she received her acceptance letter, she tore a ligament in her knee and when Renee pushed her to resume dancing sooner than was recommended by her doctor, Bella caused irreparable damage. Though she was considered healthy, Bella wasn't able to dance any longer, and it continued to crush her.

The situation was made ten times worse when Renee left six months later, claiming she felt stifled by the small town they lived in and that she no longer loved Charlie. Bella blamed herself for months that her mother left because she could no longer dance, but Charlie reassured his daughter that her mother was simply selfish and it was for the best that she left them. Bella couldn't imagine her life without her father in it.

It was just after seven when Edward stopped for dinner just west of Toledo, Ohio. They picked up sandwiches at a local shop just off the highway and as soon as they were finished, Edward immediately got them back on the road.

Bella let the silence surround her as she wondered how her family was doing back in Forks, and if Charlie would be home when she called. She knew he was still putting in long hours at the station, in addition to helping her mother, but she worried that he wasn't taking proper care of himself. This was one of the major reasons Bella wanted to go home. It wasn't because she needed to see Renee and make amends with her, it was because her father wanted her there, and she couldn't deny him.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," Edward announced as he rocked Bella's body slightly, trying to wake her from her dreams. She had been moaning incoherently and mumbling random words, so much so that Edward had gotten concerned about her and decided to stop as soon as he could find somewhere for them to stay. "Time to get up. I just booked us a room."

A Holiday Inn just off the highway was the best bet and he booked them a room with two double beds, thinking it wouldn't be too bad to stay with her for the night. After all, they would be confined to close quarters until they arrived in Seattle, plus it saved them money.

"We're sharing a room?" Bella squeaked as she rubbed at her eyes.

"Yeah, is that okay?"

"Sure thing," Bella replied as she hauled her tired body from the car and reached into the backseat to get her bag. She would have no problem staying in a room with Edward, or at least that was what Bella kept telling herself.


	5. Department Store

**Once you've read this update, make sure you go check out Risbee's Twi25 efforts. I've been pre-reading and they are some really great, funny and emotional little drabbles she has been writing.**

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**Location: On the road from South Bend to... Omaha, NE (9 hours 18 min total)**

**Prompt: Department Store**

Edward kept his hands on the steering wheel as they drove past the exits for Joliet, Illinois. Chicago had been completely bypassed, but Edward really didn't mind. What he did mind was the fact that he couldn't get his mind off the small brunette curled into the passenger seat beside him. She was currently randomly scrolling through popular songs on her iPod and ended up settling with some Plain White T's, which Edward was more than okay with.

"Did you know they're from Chicago?" Edward asked, trying to break the silence that had settled in the car ever since they had left the hotel after breakfast. Bella simply nodded and looked at the map in her lap, trying to determine where she thought they would stop for lunch. Her first guess would be Davenport, but since they had gotten on the road rather early, she also thought Edward might continue driving straight through to Iowa City before they stopped.

"Are you going to talk at all? This is getting to be rather boring as I just listen to myself talk, ya know."

"I thought I only signed up for a ride, not the Spanish inquisition," Bella replied snarkily as she watched Edward's face fall. "Oh fuck… fine. What do you want to talk about?"

"Well, we've already discussed Harry Potter, and I've managed to determine your musical tastes thanks to your handy iPod so... what's your favorite movie?"

"That's what you find interesting conversation… movies? Most people would have delved into religion or politics, dreams and goals, but you ask about movies."

"I've found most people tend to argue when it comes to politics and religion because everyone has such different views. If it matters, I'm a undecided on both fronts." Bella was somewhat relieved to know that Edward had similar views as her. She hadn't been old enough to vote in the last election, though she would be this time. However, she had no idea who she would vote for. She also had no clue about religion since her family didn't practice. Her father was Anglican and her mother was Catholic, but you'd never know it. Renee hadn't discovered her religion until recently.

"Career Opportunities," Bella replied quickly as Edward glanced at her with his eyes raised in confusion. "You know the one... it had Jennifer Connelly and came out in the early 90's. That's my favorite movie."

"Were you even alive in the 90's?" Edward asked with a laugh as Bella rolled her eyes, but gave him a small smile.

"Just born... but yes, smartass," Bella answered lightheartedly as she pushed at his shoulder. "The main character gets locked in a department store overnight after falling asleep in a changing room. She's running from her life of privilege and runs into the town idiot who works overnight in the store and they concoct a plan to move to L.A., but there's two dudes trying to break in and they are trying to stop them. Its mindless fun, but I like it."

"I think my dad made me watch that one. It had the girl from Labyrinth in it, right?"

"Yeah... what about you. What's your favorite movie?" Bella asked as she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, holding tight to herself. "Don't tell me it's like... Amadeus or something, right?"

"No, nothing that old."

"The Commitments, Crazy Heart, High Fidelity and Sweet and Lowdown are just a few of my favorites."

"All music films," Bella noted as Edward nodded softly.

"It's all I've ever really known. My maternal grandfather was a jazz pianist and he's really been the biggest influence to me. He had me listening to the masters and practicing on the piano before I could walk," Edward explained with ease as he realized just how simple it was to talk to Bella and tell her things he usually took a long time to tell anyone.

"It must have been awesome to have someone support you like that."

"Didn't you have that with your dancing?"

"Sorta. I mean... my mother was supportive to an extent, but she was also a bit fanatical about it all. Picture one of those screaming stage mothers' people always joke about, and that was Renee Swan. She failed at her own attempts at being a professional dancer, so she refused to let me fail too. Unfortunately, her determination killed her dreams for me."

"Were they ever your dreams?" Edward asked curiously, sensing that Bella wasn't as into dancing as her mother had been.

"They were when I was younger, but over time I lost the urge I had to dance. It became tedious and boring for me, but enough... we were talking about you. How did your parents feel about your love of music?"

"My mother encouraged it, but my dad wanted me to be a doctor. I'm not the famous pianist selling out Carnegie Hall that I expected to be, but I'm happy with the direction of my life. Being a teacher and showing other kids how great music can be, is awesome."

"Yeah, it can be." Bella looked out the window again and Edward sensed she was about to shut down on him again, and he didn't want that, so I pushed the map at her again and asked her to make a decision about where to stop next. "Do you want to sit down for lunch or eat on the road?"

"On the road. It was a great book, and a good choice here too. I'd like to get as far as we can today." Bella laughed easily and looked at the map. She was surprised Edward's car wasn't fancy enough to have a GPS system, but then again, Bella didn't have a cell phone. Bella had noticed Edward's phone wasn't one of those fancy smartphone things, so she wasn't even going to question his old school methods. "You okay?"

"Just fine," she replied as she glanced at the map and dragged her finger along their route. They had left South Bend around 8:30 in the morning, so if her assumptions were right, they would land near Davenport, Iowa around 1. "We're gonna stop in Davenport. They must have something decent for lunch."

"Where do you think we should stop to sleep?"

"Omaha?" Bells shrugged her shoulders, unsure of how much Edward wanted to keep driving. "It's 5 hours past Davenport I think."

"That sounds doable."

"Well, if we go to Omaha it's a bit south of where we need to go, we could bypass it to the north and probably find a hotel in a smaller city."

Edward looked over at Bella with a big smile as Mr. E's Beautiful Blues by the Eels began pouring out the speakers in their small car. "You're not a bad navigator, you know that?"

"You're not so bad yourself."


	6. Cottage

**Good Morning (If you live on the east coast like me) and thanks for reading.  
**

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**Location: Missouri Valley, Iowa**

**Prompt: Cottage**

Edward and Bella made better time than expected on the next leg of their trip. After bypassing Omaha to the north, and stopping for dinner, they pulled off of Interstate 29 and made their way into the small town of Missouri Valley. The first place they laid eyes on was a small bed and breakfast and since they were both exhausted, it didn't take long for them to decide to stay. Of course, the moment they stepped inside, they regretted that decision.

"Welcome to Valley Cottages," the woman with salt & pepper hair announced as she stood behind the counter. Edward couldn't help but chuckle as he noticed a Jerry Springer rerun was playing on a small black and white TV beside him. "You lovely couple looking for a room?"

"What do you have available?" Bella questioned, hoping they had two bedrooms so that she could have a bit of privacy, which was something Bella had been lacking greatly since agreeing to travel with Edward. Usually if she hitched a ride from an older couple, they kept to themselves and only talked to Bella on occasion. If she got tired or annoyed with them, Bella simply said she had reached the end of the line and asked them to stop. She didn't have that luxury this time around though. Edward was going where she needed to go and he was really the perfect solution.

"Not much, honestly," she replied as Bella noticed her tag said her name was Madge. "We have a wedding in town tomorrow and most of the wedding guests are holed up here. I've got the honeymoon suite available, but you'll have to be out by 10 so we can get it cleaned up for the newlyweds." Madge pointed out the window at a dilapidated old cottage that sat a few hundred feet from the main building. "Honey and Joe don't need it till tomorrow night."

Lovely, Bella thought as she rolled her eyes. Edward talked to Madge a bit longer, as Bella stepped outside, and Madge admitted there was only one other hotel in the area and it was also full of guests. Rather than be stuck without a room, Edward handed over his credit card and their room was booked.

When he walked outside, he found Bella with her camera clutched in her hand, rapidly taking photos of the older home. Though he had seen her with her camera several times over the past few days, this was one of the first times he had seen her smile so brightly. It was like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders, if only momentarily.

"It smells funny." Bella walked in the front door of the small cottage and quickly surveyed the surroundings as Edward dropped their bags by the sofa. "Like dead roses or something."

"It's potpourri. I guess some people still use it." Edward pointed to the little jars scattered throughout the room.

"Shit, there's only one bed," Bella called out from the back room as Edward plopped himself down on the lumpy and uncomfortable couch. He was about to offer to sleep there, but after sitting on the couch for a few seconds, there was no way he would be doing that. "And it's just a shower stall. There's no bathtub. I was hoping to soak for a bit. If this is the honeymoon suite, I hate to think of how shitty the other rooms are."

"Well, considering our current location, unless we want to drive into Omaha for something closer to luxury, we're shit out of luck." Edward grabbed his bag and took it into the bedroom. He opened it on the bed and quickly began sorting out clothes to wear for bed when Bella let out a huge huff of annoyance. He looked up to find her glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

"You're not sleeping in here."

"Well I am not sleeping out there either. That couch is older than fuck and very uncomfortable. I'd rather sleep in my car."

"There ya go, great option. See ya later." Bella waved him off, but Edward stood his ground.

"Uh no… I paid for this 'honeymoon suite'," Edward declared with mock quotations as Bella cracked a slight smile. "So there is no way in hell I am sleeping outside in my car. If anything, you should take the couch."

"You're such a gentleman," Bella answered sarcastically before she stepped out to the living room to grab her oversized bag.

"Listen, I'm gonna go have a quick shower, when I get out, you better have a solution to our sleeping situation, otherwise we can share the bed, got me?" Bella nodded with a scowl on her face as she watched Edward head into the small bathroom.

The moment the door closed, Bella pulled her sleep clothes from her bag. The room was hot and stifling; with virtually no air circulation, but Bella's attempts at finding anything similar to an air conditioner were futile. She cracked open a window, hoping for some air and quickly stripped down to her pajamas. As she eyed up the bed, trying to figure out how to split their sleeping arrangements, Bella came up with what she thought was an ingenious idea.

Needless to say, when Edward came out of the bathroom, he was shocked to see Bella standing in the middle of the bed, hanging a sheet down the center of the bed on a clothesline she had fashioned out of some rope and extra linens.

"What in the fuck?"

"It's the best I could do." Edward gave Bella a look of bewilderment, but she just rolled her eyes again. "Listen, you refuse to sleep in the car or on the couch, so I had to make something work. I'm sure we can handle it for one night. After all, we are two mature adults, right?"

Forty-five minutes later, they were both lying in bed staring at the ceiling in the small dark room, unable to sleep. All the windows in the small cottage were wide open, but there was still no air moving around them to cool them off. Through the yellowed sheet, Edward heard Bella rustling about, kicking his shin in the process.

"Keep it down over there. It's like sleeping beside a damn toddler."

"I'm sorry the fact that I am melting is messing with your sleep patterns."

"Thanks for the apology," Edward replied with his tongue firmly in cheek as he heard a loud mumble and then the curtain between them was pushed to the side. Bella was lying there in just a t-shirt and panties and Edward's mouth may have fallen open as he eyed her up. It didn't help that she was beautiful when she was furious.

"I was being sarcastic and it's hard to get any decent sleep when it's 5 degrees shy of hell in here."

"And what do you expect me to do about that? Yes, this place sucks but this is what we get when we're in the middle of bum fuck nowhere," Edward replied, frustrated. "I could probably get some rest if you weren't tossing and turning so much."

"Fuck it," Bella cursed as she climbed out of bed and stalked over to the bathroom. "I'm gonna go have a shower."

For the next ten minutes, Edward laid in bed, hard as a rock as he pictured Bella naked in the shower. Even though he knew he shouldn't do it, he couldn't help himself. As he looked at the clock, he realized he didn't have nearly enough time to beat off. Regardless of her closed off nature and brash attitude, she was a beautiful girl with whom he had a lot in common.

When Bella finally came out of the bathroom, he pretended to be asleep, because what else could he do? He didn't want to make things awkward between them for the rest of their trip by telling her he was attracted to her, and she desperately needed to get back to Seattle. Edward refused to put her in that awkward position, so instead he simply rolled away from her, kicked the sheet from his body and did his best to fall asleep.

Thankfully for Bella, the air outside began to move and the room was finally beginning to cool down. Unfortunately for her though, she couldn't stop thinking about Edward.


	7. High School

**I pulled something in my back yesterday. It really sucks. All your reviews make me smile though :) So, thank you.  
**

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**Location: Missouri Valley to Moorcroft, WY**

**Prompt: High School **

Edward and Bella left their hotel very early the next morning, eager to get back into the Volvo and to continue on their way to Washington. They had a quick breakfast from a local café and left just before the festivities began for Joe & Honey's wedding. Apparently the entire town was involved and everything was due to shut down around noon, so Edward was glad they were leaving as soon as they could.

During a stop in Kimball, South Dakota for lunch and refueling, Bella took a moment and quickly called Charlie to let him know where she was and how things were going. He sounded tired, but relieved, to know she was still on her way home. In the back of his mind it concerned Charlie that Bella wouldn't show up like she had promised.

The relationship between Bella and her mother had been strained for years, but Bella's refusal to talk to her over the past two years had finally reached a breaking point for Charlie. He didn't want Bella to eventually have regrets about how their relationship ultimately ended.

"You are traveling with who?" Charlie questioned, obviously skeptical considering his profession. He truly believed that Bella had a level head on her shoulders, but like all parents, he was concerned regardless.

"His name is Edward. He's moving from Manhattan to Seattle to work as a music teacher."

"Did you get his last name?" Bella paused for a moment, thinking about whether she had ever gotten that little bit of information. "I'd like to run a background check on him."

"We've been traveling for three days now, Dad. Don't you think if he was going to kill me he would have done it already?" Bella was trying to inject some humor into the situation, but Charlie was his usual gruff self.

"Actually Bella, serial killers tend to want to kill in their own backyard, somewhere they feel comfortable, rather than someplace they don't know."

"Well then, that blows your theory out of the water since he's not from Seattle, he's from New York," Bella replied coolly, clearly unaware of the fact that Edward was actually born and bred in Forks, Washington. Being a few years older than her, Bella and Edward hadn't had a chance to cross paths, but if she had mentioned the name Edward Cullen to her father, Charlie would have approved of her traveling companion. He would have remembered Edward as a quiet, shy boy who excelled at school and never got into any trouble.

Her attention was pulled from her conversation by the sight of Edward pumping gas. He was wearing a white V-neck t-shirt and cargo shorts that hung perfectly off his waist. He looked downright adorable, especially as he pushed the hair from his eyes and stared back at Bella, winking and making her blush.

With each moment that passed, Bella was finding herself more attracted to Edward, even though she knew she shouldn't be. As soon as she got home and her time with Renee was done, she would be back on the road. Bella had been considering new destinations and thought of heading south instead of east this time. After all, who didn't want to see California?

"You know I am jut trying to make sure you get home safe and sound, right?"

"I know, Daddy," Bella replied softly as she watched Edward climb back into the drivers' seat and wait for her. "We're getting back on the road. I promise to try and call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Any idea on when you will get back to Forks?"

"I would guess in the next three or four days. I'll keep you posted." Bella and Charlie said a quick goodbye and when Bella hung up, she made a beeline for the car. "Sorry about that."

"No worries," Edward replied simply as he guided the car away from the gas station and back onto the freeway.

It was nearly thirty minutes later, as Bella rested the IPod down finally satisfied with her choice of music, that she and Edward began a conversation. "So, you are going to be teaching middle school huh? What made you choose that?"

"Hmm… interesting question," Edward replied as he took a moment to compose his thoughts. "I hated high school, and I don't really want to repeat that. I also wanted kids who were old enough to grasp what I would be teaching them, so I went with middle school."

"You didn't like high school?"

"Does anyone really like high school?" Edward's eyebrow was raised as he eyed Bella quickly before turning his eyes back to the road. Surely this girl wasn't one who cheered, participated in every activity and was prom queen, was she? There was no way Edward could have been that wrong about her. He pictured her s a bit of an outsider and eager to graduate, like he had been. "Did you enjoy it?"

"Sure, there were certain aspects of high school I liked," Bella replied cryptically. Edward waited patiently for more information, but it didn't come until he prodded her. "Fine, I liked my English classes and poetry club, but that was about it. High school was all about cliques and jocks, neither of which I liked. I had my small group of friends and we steered clear of all of the typical drama." Edward smiled, thinking fondly of some of the smarter girls who were in the poetry club at Forks High and he could totally picture Bella fitting in with them. He was also thankful his first impression of her had been right.

"Was there nothing you liked?" Bella questioned, curious about why Edward seemed to be deflecting on the topic.

"Does graduation count?" Edward laughed, but it was somewhat forced.

"No, not really. You were there for four years, there must have been something." Edward paused again, his eyes focused as he remembered how much he abhorred high school. He was lanky, wore glasses and braces and didn't really come into his own until the first year of college. He was bullied by the jocks and stoners, and had very few friends that truly appreciated his musical abilities. In fact, it wasn't until college that he really began to thrive in his life, and it was probably another reason why Edward wasn't keen on going back to Forks. He didn't want to relive those days.

"No, there was nothing I liked about high school."


	8. Sporting Goods Store

**Sorry, I'm a bit slow in updating today. The back is still sore and there is a shit tonne of drama going on at work. Enjoy!**

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**Location: Moorcroft, WY to Billings, MT**

**Prompt: Sporting Goods Store **

Edward and Bella woke the next morning in Moorcroft, Wyoming. Bella had been relieved they were able to get a room with two double beds, so that she didn't have to share. But after the closeness they had shared the night before, Bella missed Edward being right beside her.

They had a quick breakfast of coffee and pastry from the local 7-11 before getting back in Interstate 90 towards Billings, Montana. Conversation between the two of them was wooden for a bit, but they managed to make the time fly with conversations about growing up.

"Your happiest memory?" Bella questioned, slightly anxious about his response.

"Fishing with my father."

"Really? My dad used to drag me out fishing too, but I was never into it. I would always bring a book and read while he fished."

"Well, my dad and I weren't super close, so getting those few days alone with him were great. We'd go camping near the base Mt. Rainier and monopolizing my dad's attention was great." Edward was quiet for a moment, feeling a little wistful, when suddenly a great idea hit him. They were a few hours from Yellowstone and it would be great to go camping again, even for one night. "Did you ever camp with your dad?"

"We tried once… as a family, with my mom, but it was a disaster." Bella stopped and shook her head of the memory. Her mother was never outdoorsy, so why she had married Charlie completely baffled Bella. Well, she knew they got married because Renee got pregnant, but Bella couldn't fathom why Renee stayed when she was so unhappy and all she did was pester Bella about her dancing. Charlie lived for the outdoors when he wasn't working, and though Bella tagged along when she could, Renee was a lost cause.

"What happened to your mom?" Edward was curious at the way Bella responded to discussing her mother and was instantly intrigued.

"She left my dad a few years ago, which was about fifteen years too late in my opinion," Bella remarked indifferently.

"Oh…is everything okay?"

"Depends on your definition of okay, I guess. In the divorce, I chose to live with my dad and my mother got visitation, but she never used it until she found a new, and younger, guy. We haven't really talked since she tried to get me to move to Florida with her."

"Is that where you were heading… Florida?"

"No, she lives with my dad again. Things didn't go so well with the new moron." Well, Edward was completely baffled about the situation Bella was explaining to him. He couldn't help but feel like she was leaving some important information out of the equation, but he refused to push her. "Anyways, it's been years since we went fishing, but I guess those were some good days… just me and my dad."

Needless to say, Bella was more than a little surprised when Edward didn't pull back onto the highway after lunch in Billings and instead they drove down the road until they stopped at a store called Scheels. "What on earth are we doing here?"

"Getting a tent and sleeping bags."

"And why would we be doing that?"

"We need something to sleep in. Plus, I'm probably gonna go camping more often when I'm settled, so why not?" Bella looked at Edward, completely confused, but she followed him into the store regardless.

Bella couldn't help but think that Edward looked like a giddy child as he filled he cart with two sleeping bags and a lantern. Edward picked up a Coleman tent and a fan, incase the heat was as unbearable as the day before and then he headed over to find an air mattress. It was at this point that he found Bella chatting up one of the salesmen in the store.

"Oh there he is," Bella declared, her voice deceivingly saccharine. "Honey, I was just telling Tyler here that we were looking for the basics, right?" Edward quirked his eyebrow at her briefly before glancing at Tyler, whose eyes were glued to Bella's chest. Edward quickly figured out what was going on and slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her to his side.

"I got some sleeping bags for us and a nice looking tent. What do you recommend in air mattresses, Tyler?" Edward asked, trying to sound possessive, even though he knew it wouldn't take much work. The moment he saw Bella with the man, his blood had began to boil.

Tyler motioned to the next aisle and Edward let him go first, rather than leave him to ogle Bella's ass like Edward knew he would do. "I would recommend a queen or king sized for a couple, but then I have to wonder why you need two sleeping bags?" Tyler questioned curiously.

"We're going to zip them up together and make one big sleeping bag," Edward countered crossly. Who did this guy think he was to question them? "The more room we have the better, right baby?" Edward kissed Bella softly on her temple and his body shivered slightly as her hand rubbed gently against his chest.

Tyler glanced down at Bella once more, his eyes trained on her cleavage as Edward reached his breaking point. "I don't suppose you guys sell condoms here, do you? We ran out last night after what… five… six times?" Edward looked to Bella and her smile grew as Tyler seemed to finally take the hint.

"Two blocks south of here there's a pharmacy," he replied with disinterest.

"I hope they have the magnums you need, baby." Edward blushed at Bella's comment and then he grabbed a king sized air mattress with a pump and tossed it into his cart. When they reached the cashier Edward picked up a map of Yellowstone National Park and its surrounding area. Edward paid in full for all the supplies, since he would keep them once the trip was over, and then they basically played a game of Tetris as they tried to pack the gear into the Volvo.

"Thanks, back there," Bella said simply as they began back on the interstate. "He was a bit… overbearing."

"No worries. It was worth it to see the look on his face when you said I wore magnums. That was classic!" Bella grinned back at Edward and turned up the music as she stared out the window and began to wonder if what she had said was true. Did he need magnums?


	9. Tent

**Morning Dear Readers! Just to let you know, if I wrote an Edward who needed anything other than magnums, I would get kicked out of the fandom!**

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**Location: Cody Wy, to Yellowstone National Park**

**Prompt: Tent**

It was just after six o'clock at night when Edward and Bella parked in their campsite at the Canyon Campground at Yellowstone. They quickly unpacked their gear and began to setup the tent, eager to get everything set before the sun went down. As Bella pumped up their air mattress and then set their sleeping bags upon it, not zipped together, Edward went to the Canyon Village to pick up some supplies.

When Bella climbed out of the tent after everything was ready, Edward was just pulling back into the site. He unloaded a pile of firewood and kindling, in addition to two folding chairs they would use that night around the fire pit.

"There's a pay phone up by the village, so you can call your dad," Edward said in passing as he grabbed his overnight bag from the trunk of the Volvo and put it in the tent. "I was thinking maybe we could go have dinner at the restaurant there and you could call him. I'm sure he wants to know I haven't killed you yet."

"How did you…did you overhear my call the other day?"

"Uh… no. I was making a joke, but now it's not that funny that he thinks I might kill you."

"To your benefit, he's a police officer so he thinks everyone is going to kill me," Bella replied with a smile, trying to ease Edward's fears. She agreed to dinner with Edward and when they got to the restaurant, Bella had Edward wait for her as she called her dad. "Hi Daddy."

"Bells, where are you?" Charlie asked, the concern ripe in his voice.

"Umm… Yellowstone National Park? We took a little side trip."

"Great, so this Edward character can kill you in the woods?" Bella laughed slightly and then handed the phone to Edward.

"Uh… Hello?"

"Is this Edward? I am Chief Charlie Swan with the Forks, Washington Police Department. If you touch one hair on my daughters head…"

"Chief Swan? It's Edward Cullen." Edward was shocked as hell to find out that Bella's father was a man who had been friends with his family and even come over for poker nights with his father.

"Jesus Christ, Edward Cullen. How much of a small world is this?" Charlie replied, his voice now full of laughter, as Bella looked at Edward in surprise, unsure of what was being said on the phone. "Let me tell you how much of a relief it is to know that Bella is on her way home with you. She said she was driving with a man who was going to be a teacher in Seattle."

"Port Angeles actually, but we never got into too much detail, otherwise I would have known Bella was your daughter. This comes as a big surprise to me too."

"Well, I can stop worrying now. When you get back to the area, come see me at the station." Edward was surprised by how downright happy Charlie seemed, especially since his daughter could be so dour. "You have no idea how important it is to us that Bella get back to Forks as soon as she can. You are a lifesaver, Cullen."

Charlie was right; Edward had no idea how important it was for Bella to get home because she hadn't mentioned it to him. If she had said that time was of the essence, than he wouldn't have made this side trip with her or tried to extend their time together. Edward wasn't really keen on letting Bella go just yet, but he also knew she had to get home. He wouldn't let the chief down.

Bella said a quick farewell to her father, who assured her that she was in good hands, and then they went for dinner. The silence was deafening at first until Edward decided he'd had enough.

"I know your dad."

"No shit."

"Don't be upset at me, it's not like I knew you were the Chief's daughter when I picked you up in Rochester. I was just doing a beautiful girl a favor." Bella looked at Edward with a small smile because he had called her beautiful. It had been a long time since anyone had said something so nice to her, especially someone she was attracted to. "I must admit it's nice to know he won't shoot me when I deliver you to Forks."

"Did my dad ever arrest you?"

"No, he didn't. I was a straight shooter in high school."

"That would explain it. I'm guessing you graduated before I did, which was why I had no idea who you were huh? Yeah… I was in the class of 2007. You?

"Class of 2011. I graduated last year and took a year off." He knew it meant she was an adult, but still… she was several years younger than him and he wasn't sure if her age changed how he was beginning to feel about her.

When they got back to the campsite, Edward quickly made a fire as the sun began to set and Bella went about taking photos of the beautiful scenery surrounding them. Once she was finished, they chatted amiably about life back in Forks and the different teachers they loved at high school. Bella told Edward about how Principal Greene had fallen off the stage at graduation because he had been drunk as a skunk and Edward and Bella giggled over his story of how Mrs. Cope and Coach Clapp were found indisposed in the gym supply room during his junior year. Sure, both of them were divorced but it was unheard of for teachers in Forks to begin hooking up.

Before they realized it, it was time to go to bed. Edward quickly changed in the tent while Bella folded up the chairs and placed them back in the Volvo. Once he was finished, he came out to douse the fire while Bella got changed. Edward quickly became impatient, waiting outside for the all okay from Bella.

"Edward?" Bella called as she fidgeted uncomfortably inside the sleeping bag. "I need some help."

"Can I come in?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

Edward unzipped the tent and when he crawled inside, he was relieved to know it was still toasty warm in there. The sun had gone down late in the day, giving the tent some time to heat up under the late afternoon sun. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Uh… I can't zip the sleeping bag down. I'm a bit warm wrapped in the big sleeping bag and I wanted to unzip it a bit, but I think it's stuck."

Edward went over towards Bella's side of the bed and looked down at her sleeping bag. Sure enough, Bella had some fabric bunched up in the zipper and it was jammed in there really well. It took several attempts and a lot of tugging before Edward finally got the fabric free and the zipper pulled down to Bella's feet.

Unfortunately for Edward, he was greeted with an unexpected surprise. Bella was dressed in just a tank top and panties within the bag and he may have stared at her bare skin a little longer than he intended. Edward bid Bella a quick goodnight and climbed under his own sleeping bag, leaving the zipper undone to let in some cool air, hoping it would cause his erection to abate as soon as possible.

Sure enough, Edward and Bella both fell asleep rather quickly and enjoyed a good night's rest. However, what surprised both of them though was when they woke up and though they were still huddled within their individual sleeping bags, Bella's head was buried into Edward's chest and his arm was wrapped tightly around her waist.


	10. Prom

**Thanks for the continued love. Did you read Risbee's smutty 'garage' prompt yesterday? I needed a cold shower. TMI right? Ah well, let's get on with it.**

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**Location: Yellowstone to Coeur D'Alene, ID**

**Prompt: Prom**

The next morning, Edward and Bella both attempted to brush off the awkwardness of waking up wrapped around each other. They were silent as they gathered up their stuff and headed off to the showers. Edward finished first and he stepped into the store to grab a quick breakfast for the two of them before heading back to their campsite to dismantle everything so they could get on the road.

"How would you feel about a little detour?" Bella questioned as she got back to the Volvo and shoved her belongings into her backpack. Edward was immediately anxious since he had promised the Chief he would get Bella back to Forks as soon as he could.

"What did you have in mind?"

"I figured since we were so close, it would be a shame not to see Old Faithful. One of the women was telling me about it in the showers, and I thought we should see it. I'd also love to get a few photos of it." Edward was actually okay with this idea, since it was only a half hour drive out of their way. So, to save time they hopped in the car and consumed their breakfast along the way.

In no time at all they were standing in front of the geyser, waiting patiently for it to blow and Bella noticed a happy teenaged couple to their left and couldn't help herself. "That boy looks like Mike Newton."

"Like… from Newton's Outfitters? 'If you need a bag, we got em'? Worst slogan ever by the way."

"One in the same. He's the heir to the outdoor supply store, or so he liked to tell the ladies." Edward looked at the boy, trying to see some resemblance, but it had been quiet a while since he had seen him. "He has older sisters, but they don't give a shit about the store."

"I took his sister to prom." Bella turned, completely surprised by Edward's confession.

"Irina?"

"Tanya."

"Ugh." Bella groaned quietly but it was still loud enough for Edward to hear and chuckle quietly. Tanya and Bella never got along, though Bella never knew why. Bella had only dated Mike for a few weeks and saw Tanya in passing when she returned from UW, but she was practically the devil herself when she spoke to Bella. However, she couldn't blame Edward for going to prom with her. After all, half of the boys in town lusted over Tanya Newton. "Sorry, she just …"

"Was a bitch?"

"I was gonna say whore, but bitch works just as well," Bella laughed as Edward gave her a small smile. "Why would you go to prom with her?"

"I had no options and I decided to just ask her. I was shocked that she said yes considering I was practically a pariah at the school." Bella clamped her hand over her mouth and immediately felt horrible for her comment. She pulled her foot out of her mouth and began to apologize to Edward, but he wouldn't hear of it. "I found out that night that she did it as a dare and during the dance she disappeared to have sex with Liam Gallant. So yeah… whore works good. So how did you know Mike? Wouldn't he have been older than you?"

"We dated when I was a junior and he was a senior."

"Ugh, you dated Newton?" Edward questioned, surprised by the distaste in his voice. He hadn't known Mike very well, but didn't like the fact that he had been with Bella in any way.

"So did you!"

"One date, a few hours in her company, part of which she was busy fucking someone else. We didn't exactly date," Edward answered defensively as he looked to his left and noticed a family of five waiting patiently for the geyser as well. He apologized quickly for his cursing and then grabbed Bella's arm, leading her away from the family.

"Why… just why Newton?"

"He asked." Bella shrugged her shoulders as Edward felt a pang of sympathy for her. "I didn't have the best time in high school, but he was interested, so I decided to test the waters."

"And…"

"And he was a piranha. We only dated for like three weeks and he asked me to prom, which was when I realized I didn't even want to go, let alone go with him. I dumped him and the next day he was with Jessica Stanley, the school bicycle." Edward quirked his eyebrow, confused by Bella's statement as she smiled and nudged him with her shoulder. "You know… the school bicycle… everyone's had a ride."

"Now that is a bad analogy."

"I loathed the girl until I found out Mike was caught kissing our guidance counselor, Miss Stevens, in the men's room. Like sister like brother, huh?"

"Yeah, you could say that," Edward replied as suddenly a loud whoosh sounded in front of them and they turned to see the geyser erupting about 10 feet in the air. Bella grasped her camera and immediately began taking photo after photo as Edward watched, completely enthralled, as the water descended and bubbled just at the surface before rising twice as high into the air. All the tourists watching couldn't take their eyes off of Old Faithful, but Edward found himself unable to look at anything but Bella. She was completely over taken by the need to photograph the moment and she caught shot after shot of the show of water bursting up into the air and falling, only to rise once more.

It lasted for a few minutes, and once it was done, Bella looked at Edward curiously. "You like?"

"You have no idea," he replied cryptically as Bella began walking away and then stopped to grab Edward's hand and pull him towards the car.

"If you keep staring, we'll never get to Idaho tonight." Edward smiled gently at Bella and followed her lead, heading back towards the car. They made it to Deer Lodge, Montana in less than four hours and had a quick lunch at Subway before getting back on the road, desperate to make it to Coeur D'Alene, Idaho to rest for the night.

However, their plan was derailed just as the neared the city and past Blue Creek Bay when Edward's Volvo spluttered awkwardly and shut down, leaving them stranded on the side of the road.


	11. Garage

**You guys thrill me with your reviews. No really. You are all awesome and I wish I had time to reply to every review, but I think you'd prefer more stories and less chit chat, right?**

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**Location: Coeur D'Alene, ID**

**Prompt: Garage **

"Well shit," Edward exclaimed as he climbed from the car and circled around it, assessing the issue that had caused them to stop at the side of the road. He grabbed his cell phone and threw it on the seat as he realized it had died recently. "This was the last bloody thing I needed tonight. How far do you think we are from the city, Bella?"

"Like… ten minutes drive, I'd guess." Edward looked around in vain for a nearby gas station as Bella motioned in the distance. "There's a house right over there. Let's just go over there and ask to use their phone to call a tow truck."

Thankfully for Bella and Edward, there was a house only a few hundred feet off the road from where the Volvo had died. Edward volunteered to go so that Bella could stay with the car in case the cops or a tow truck miracously arrived. After his short hike to the house, Edward was pleasantly surprised when the elderly couple that lived there informed him that their son owned a towing company and they would call him immediately.

All Bella and Edward had to do was wait, and it took almost an hour before Garrett pulled up in his huge tow truck to haul them into town to a place called McCarty Auto Body.

"What do we have here?" a huge linebacker type man with a boyish face asked Garrett as he looked at the car with surprise. "I'm guessing you've got some out of towners, huh?'

"You could say that," Bella grumbled as she looked at the monstrous man intently. He looked like he had never seen a Volvo before and this was beginning to concern Bella because then it meant they would be stuck in the town longer than necessary. "Do you think you can fix it?"

"Well, first I have to find out what is wrong with it."

"We were driving down the interstate and suddenly it made an odd spluttering noise and then slowly conked out," Edward explained simply.

"Pop the hood, I'll just get Rosie," the mechanic, whose coveralls read 'Emmett' announced as Edward opened the front door and popped the hood so Emmett could take a look.

"God I hope this isn't too expensive," Edward declared as he slumped into a plastic chair beside Bella and stared at the car in frustration. "I had it checked out before I left Manhattan and they said it would be fine for the distance I was driving. This is ridiculous."

Bella glanced outside as a small smile graced her face. "On a positive note, there's a Motel 6 right across the road, and look… there's an Italian restaurant next door. At least something is looking up for us." Bella wished she could ease Edward's anxiety over the car, because if there was one thing she knew, it was how it sucked to have your car in the shop.

Before Bella left Forks, she had sold the old truck that had gotten her through high school. For her sixteenth birthday, her father had given her a rusty old red Chevy truck that was older than even her father. Though the thing was reliable, it was loud and barely passed its emissions testing each year and she put more into repairs than she did gas, but it had been Bella's and nothing could be that. She sold it to the son of her father's best friend, who was desperate to get his hands on 'Big Red' as Bella had affectionately named it.

As Bella and Edward waited together, they heard the clacking of high heels against the cement floor and both of them raised their heads, surprised to see a statuesque blonde stroll into the room like she owned it.

"So… what do we have here?"

"2008 Volvo," Emmett announced. "They've been driving cross-country from New York and it suddenly shut down on the interstate in front of Garrett's parents place."

"Hey, how are your parents doing?" the blonde asked sweetly as she bent over and stared inside the engine, and Garrett began telling her about his father's glaucoma and subsequent insistence that medical marijuana would solve the issue. "Well, if he needs a guy. I know no."

"Umm… can you tell me what's going on with the car?" Edward piped in, interrupting the blonde as she examined the engine.

"Can you tell me what kind of underwear I'm wearing?" she questioned as Edward choked so hard Bella had to smack him on the back. Unfortunately for him, the blonde was still waiting for an answer.

"No… no, I can't."

"Right… you can't see anything until you look underneath, so just chill out man. This is an art form." Bella shrugged her shoulders as Edward leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. It was only another five minutes while she looked over the car, but it seemed to last forever.

"Here's the deal," the blonde announced. "You've got a faulty alternator. I don't have one for your car in stock, but I'll call in a favor from a friend and get one here by lunch tomorrow. Is that alright?"

"I don't have much choice do I…."

"Rosalie. I'm Rosalie McCarty, this is my shop," she said happily. "And yeah, you have no choice unless you want to live permanently in Coeur D'Alene."

"Thanks Rosalie. Just… do what you need to do." Edward scribbled down his cell phone number for her as I grabbed our overnight bags out of the car. "Call me when things are done, but we'll be across the road at the Motel for the night. Thanks for helping."

"No worries, that's why we're here," Rosalie said sweetly as Emmett came up and wrapped his arm around her waist and held tight to her. Edward couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at their easy happiness. "Now listen, take it easy and go enjoy Nino's. She has the best Italian food for like five hundred miles, plus… your girlfriend looks like she could use a night of romance."

"Oh she's not my… we're not…."

"Oh really?" Rosalie challenged as I nodded my head. "You'd think with your chemistry that you'd be together." Edward thanked her for her help and ushered Bella out of the shop, but as they crossed the road, Edward couldn't get Rosalie's words out of his mind.


	12. Italian Restaurant

**I'm so glad everyone enjoyed Rose, but sadly they won't be staying in Idaho. I still gotta get these two back to Forks. Let's get on with it, shall we?**

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**Location: Coeur D'Alene, ID**

**Prompt: Italian Restaurant **

Bella and Edward walked into Nino's Italian Restaurant just after nine and most of the dinner crowd had already cleared out. The hostess guided them to a private table in the back and eyed Edward with a grin as she set their menus down on the table. Their waitress, a rather busty redhead with a short skirt, took their drink order and turned to leave, purposefully sashaying her hips, which frustrated Bella and made Edward crack a slight smile.

He wasn't used to the attention, or jealousy, from women.

The silence between the two was deafening as they perused the menu and avoided talking about anything of consequence.

"Do you know what you are having yet?" Edward asked, as Bella lifted her head from the menu in confusion. "The manicotti looks good, right?"

"Sure, I suppose. I'm just not feeling overly hungry."

Bella had called Charlie from the pay phone in front of their hotel and he pressured her about when they were going to arrive in Forks. Charlie sounded disheartened when Bella recounted to him the story of the cruddy alternator. Charlie offered to book her a flight to get her back to town faster, but Bella quickly veto'd the idea. After all, it's not like there were many flights between Coeur D'Alene and Port Angeles.

"Everything okay?" Edward questioned, trying to draw Bella out of her shell. Bella nodded her head softly and then decided to not dwell on things she couldn't change. Her father would always be disappointed in her for how she left and she couldn't get home fast enough to placate him.

"Yeah, everything will be fine. I think I'm gonna have the vegetarian lasagna."

"I thought you weren't hungry?"

"My stomach is overriding my brain right now."

Edward and Bella exchanged easygoing conversation while they waited for their dinner and when it finally arrived, their table was filled with silence while they devoured the best meal either of them had eaten in a while. Then again, anything would be infinitely better than the fast food they had consumed lately.

"You know, I always wanted to go to Italy," Bella commented randomly between bites of her lasagna. "It's actually been one of my biggest goals in life for a long time."

"Really? Then why are you traveling across the states instead of just heading over there?" Edward questioned.

"Other than the fact that I just can't afford it, you are gonna laugh when I tell you."

"Probably, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't tell me," Edward joked. Bella rested her fork down and took a sip of her water before she spoke.

"Several years ago I saw the movie 'Under The Tuscan Sun' starring Diane Lane and some chick from Grey's Anatomy." Edward looked at Bella, unsure of the movie she was referencing, but listening intently anyways. "So the lead character leaves her life behind to go and live in Tuscany. She buys a dilapidated old house and renovates it. She has romantic entanglements that leave her breathless, and she eventually finds the love of her life as he stumbles by her villa. It's all very romantic and sweet, but for some reason it appealed to me. I could picture myself doing the same thing and taking pictures all day, maybe even dancing a bit in my villa. You can start laughing now, ya know."

"There's nothing to laugh about," Edward answered genuinely as Bella felt somewhat buoyed by his support. "It's great to have dreams like that. I wish I had something I wanted as much as that. I mean, I've always wanted to go to Australia, but that's just because the Aussies always seem like they are having such a great time. I also once wanted to go to Ireland for St. Patrick's Day, but I would prefer to steer clear of bar fights."

"I'm sure there is more to St. Patty's Day in Ireland that bar fights," Bella commented as Edward looked at her, challenging her to give an example. "Maybe… a parade or… potatoes?"

"Nice try."

"I thought so," Bella answered as Edward reached his hand across the table and brushed the tips of her fingers with his. It was a small gesture, but as Bella looked up and saw Edward's eyes so full… of something she had never seen before.

Conversation was somewhat stilted after this and when they were offered dessert, Edward and Bella quickly turned down the offer, opting to head back to the hotel and get some rest instead. The moment they stepped over the threshold of their room, Edward slowly shut the door behind them and locked it tightly.

There was an awkwardness in the air that neither of them knew how to fix, so Edward made his best attempt. "So…is there anywhere else in Italy you want to visit?"

Before she could come up with a decent answer, Bella closed the space in between them and reached up on her tippy toes to kiss Edward on the lips. It was somewhat odd at first and she missed his top lip completely, but he was a good bit taller than she was. Edward was caught off guard initially, but once he was able to come to his sense, he caught her hip is one of his hands and pulled her closer to him, leaning down to envelope her in a deep and passionate kiss that both of them could feel in their toes.

"That was…" Edward began to say, but Bella was suddenly pulling him towards her as she walked backwards into the tiny room. The back of her knees hit the bed and Bella yanked Edward down onto her, eager to resume their kissing.

Their fingers moved almost as desperately as their lips, both of them eager to explore their partner as much as they could. Edward was fearful that Bella was suddenly going to stop and feel ashamed for how they had suddenly jumped into things, whereas Bella worried that Edward would realize that she was an inexperienced girl who wasn't old enough to be kissing him, let alone seducing him.

"Bella," Edward murmured, pulling back for a moment and trying to catch his breath. "We should slow down… a bit."

"Oh… yeah," Bella remarked, her fears getting the best of her as she slid herself from underneath Edward and grabbed her bag, immediately fishing around for her sleep clothes. "You are definitely right. We should… this needs to be… slow, or whatever. I get it."

"No, you don't get it." Edward climbed up from the bed and stood directly behind Bella, wrapping his arms around her midsection and grinding himself shamelessly against her ass so that she had no misconception that he wanted her. "It's just…I like you, like… a lot, and I know we're kinda pressed for time, but we don't need to hit a home run on the first night out."

"What is it with guys and baseball analogies?" Edward laughed heartily and Bella turned swiftly to plant a kiss on his cheek before slipping out of his embrace to get into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

That was the first night Edward and Bella slept together, wrapped around each other, on purpose.


	13. Book Store

**Thanks again for the continued support. Cejsmom has been fabulous in pre-reading this mess for me. She rocks.  
**

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**Location: Coeur D'Alene, ID to Yakima**

**Prompt: Book Store **

First thing in the morning, while Bella was enjoying a nice hot shower, Edward made his way across the street to the garage. Emmett happily informed him that the part they needed was due to arrive any second now, and he expected the Volvo to be completed by noon at the very latest. Edward thanked him for his assistance and gave Emmett his number to reach him when the car was completed.

Though Edward was eager for a repeat of their activities the night before, when he arrived in the room, he was surprised to see Bella fully dressed and ready to go. "What's the good news?"

"We have, at minimum, 3 hours until we can leave."

"3 hours? Well, shit… I was hoping it would be fixed by now."

"Yeah, that makes two of us. If it helps, I noticed there's a diner down the road we can have breakfast at. That should pass the time, right?"

"It can't hurt to find out."

Edward and Bella spent the next hour enjoying a hearty breakfast at The Coeur Diner and their conversation began to flow easily once more. This time, Edward sat beside Bella with his arm draped possessively over her shoulder, and when the young waitress appeared, she didn't give Edward a second glance.

After each of them finished their huge stack of pancakes and their second coffee, Bella noticed a bookstore across the street and excitedly asked if they could make their way over there. Edward glanced at his phone and decided that since Emmett had yet to call, it was the perfect distraction for them.

The loud bell over the door signaled their arrival at 'The Prince and the Paper', and a kindly older gentlemen stepped out from the back, surprised to see customers so early in the morning.

"Can I help you guys with something in particular?" he asked curiously as Bella kept going through the store, loving the high shelves stocked to the very top with classics, little known titles and older books that she could find her self sifting through for hours. Bella was even enthralled by the rolling ladder down the far wall that was filled with fairy tales and literary classics she wished she could afford.

Edward enjoyed a lengthy conversation with the shop owner, who it turned out was Emmett's uncle, something which Edward found hilarious. It seemed everyone in this town knew each other and it reminded him of Forks.

It was almost half an hour later when Edward found Bella wrapped up in going through a photography book called 'The Americans' by Robert Frank, while sitting comfortably in a velvet chair in the back of the room.

"Find something interesting?"

"You could say that," Bella replied as she quickly lifted up the book, showing Edward what she was reading. "When I first started on my trip I quickly filled up my camera with photo after photo of my life on the road. I had adored the photography class I took in high school, but we learned more about the history and stuff, rather than spending hours in a darkroom developing photos."

"Ah-ha," Edward declared loudly. "It seems we finally found something you are really interested in."

"And what can I do with a photography degree, Edward? Run the portrait studio down at the local Wal-Mart?"

"Well, no... but at least you would be happy doing something you love. My dad wanted me to be a doctor," Edward began as Bella closed the book and shelved it before standing in front of him. "It was never my dream and caused a bit of a rift between us. He didn't see how I could be happy teaching and making music for the rest of my life, but I'm showing him, aren't I?"

"Some of us aren't as confident in their abilities as you are. I also haven't been taking pictures since I was old enough to hold a camera. This is new to me."

"Not everyone discovers their passion right away. Leonard Cohen didn't release his first album until he was 32 years old and Frank McCourt didn't publish his first book until he was in his sixties. Just because you didn't discover your passion as early as other people, doesn't mean you won't succeed, Bella."

Bella took Edward's words to heart and together they explored the rest of the store, with a little help from Emmett's uncle. It was nearing eleven in the morning when Edward's cell phone rang and Emmett informed him that the Volvo was ready to go. Edward purchased two books and they left, hand in hand, to go get the car.

Just before they stepped inside the shop, Bella grabbed Edward's arm and held it still. "I know we can basically drive home from here before midnight, but can we stay out on the road another night?"

"But I thought you had to get home?"

"I do... but I'm... I'm just not ready to face things there yet."

"Oh... well where did you want to go?"

"Well, if the maps I read are right, then the Snoqualmie National Forest will be about four hours from here. What if we camped for another night?" Edward contemplated Bella's suggestion and decided that it wouldn't really put a big delay in their plans. "It's only five hours from Yakima to Forks, so we will arrive tomorrow instead of today."

"Are you sure?" Bella nodded her head eagerly and Edward pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed her sweetly. "As long as you won't regret it, I'm good with it." Together they walked into the garage and Rosalie winked knowingly at Edward as she caught their hands tangled together.

As Edward and Emmett discussed the damage to the car and Edward made his payment, Bella shoved her bag into the car and got comfortable in the passenger seat. Before they left, Edward thanked them profusely for being so quick in fixing his car and then they were on their way towards Yakima.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Edward stated as they reached a stoplight and Edward reached into the backseat for the bag from the bookstore. He fumbled inside until he pulled out the exact copy of 'The Americans' that Bella had been reading in store.

"You shouldn't have," Bella declared as Edward handed her the book and she ran her fingers reverently over the front cover.

"Consider it my contribution to your future. I think you would make a great photographer. You just need to believe it too."


	14. Meadow

**I apologize for the lack of review replies I have had a serious hiccup in my life this weekend, but I do appreciate every single beautiful review and kind word. You are the bright spot in my day. Risbee, I adore you. Go read her work people.  
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**Location: Camping **

**Prompt: Meadow**

Edward and Bella stopped briefly in Yakima to pick up a few things to make for dinner before heading towards the small town of Rimrock, nestled in the Snoqualmie National Forest. Bella and Edward setup camp in a small campground called Rimrock Lake Resort, though their actual campsite was nestled under the trees for shade and protection from the elements and away from the lake of the same name.

When they arrived at the campsite, the owner informed them that rain was in the forecast overnight, but Edward and Bella were determined to spend one more night under the stars before they continued home the next day, which was why they picked a site with some shading, rather than closer to the beach.

Seeing as they had set up camp once before, it took them virtually no time at all to get everything set up and ready. Since they had enjoyed a late lunch in Yakima, neither Edward or Bella were very hungry so they decided to take a hike through the woods and Edward encouraged Bella to bring her camera and take as many photos as she could.

After hiking in the dense woods for almost thirty minutes, the duo stumbled upon a small meadow surrounded by trees and filled with wildflowers. Bella effortlessly took shot after shot of the untouched space before Edward made his way through the sunlight field and perched himself up against a tree. When Bella finally paused and looked towards where Edward sat, he motioned with his finger for her to join him.

Bella was clearly hesitant, but when she sat down beside Edward, he was quick to wrap his arm over her shoulder and pull her tightly against him.

"Is this okay?" Edward was obviously nervous even though he and Bella had been growing closer over the past couple of days. He wanted her to like him. Actually if he was being honest with himself, he wanted to see what could become of them once they were back in Forks, because he truly liked her. However, he was wary for obvious reasons.

"Yeah," Bella replied softly, as she nestled closer to him, letting his warmth surround her.

They each let out a small breath and when Bella turned slightly to speak to Edward, he couldn't stop himself as he cupped her cheek and kissed her desperately. He sucked her bottom lip in between his, teasing her as Bella relaxed under Edward's touch. In mere seconds, Bella quickly repositioned herself, straddling his lap, as their furious kissing resumed.

Bella's hands gripped Edward's shoulders as he wrapped his around her tiny frame and held her in place while his tongue darted inside of her mouth, eager to taste her. They both moaned loudly as Edward's hands moved down to cup Bella's ass and then moved a few inched further to feel the skin at the hem of her shorts.

Bella let her head fall back as she ground her center against Edward's obvious erection and with her neck displayed to him, Edward was quick to lick and suck along the column of her neck before peppering it with soft kisses. Edward couldn't get over how soft her skin was, or how right she felt in his arms. Bella groaned softly and couldn't stop herself from rolling her hips over Edward's hardness, causing him to grasp her hips to still her.

"I think we got a bit..."

"Over excited?" Bella replied, as a light pink blush covered her face. She was still panting from Edward's passionate kisses and couldn't find it in her to regret their time together. Bella had no idea what in the hell life would hold once she got back to her life in Forks, or how long she would stay there, but she didn't want to dwell on that. She just wanted to revel in the time she had left with Edward.

Bella kissed him softly on the lips and then turned around, nestling herself between Edward's legs as she took a few more photos and loved being in his embrace. "Are you warming up to this photography thing?"

"A little bit."

"You'd be good at it, ya know, but you'll never know unless you try."

"You've never even seen one of my pictures. How can you be so sure?"

"I see the passion you have when you have your camera at the ready for a photo. You get lost." Bella nodded slightly, knowing exactly what Edward was talking about. She felt like a completely different person when she was taking pictures, and all the drama in her life simply drifted away. If only the lack of drama was permanent change, Bella thought wistfully.

"Speaking of getting lost, we should get back to our campsite before it gets too dark for us to find our way." Bella stood up first and then helped Edward up, keeping his hand entwined tightly in hers as they made their way back in the direction they came.

It was nearing ten when Edward decided they should head off to bed to get some sleep. He and Bella had sat around the fire for a few hours once they returned from their hike and enjoyed some sandwiches for dinner; it was all very cozy and sweet. Edward took the rest of his bottle of water and doused the fire while he let Bella step into the tent to get changed.

As Edward waited patiently, Bella was inside the tent stripping off her clothing and her inhibitions. While they had been curled up together near the fire, Bella had decided that since she would be home the very next day, she had to take a chance with Edward, in case she never got one again.

Needless to say, Edward was shocked when Bella finally let him inside the tent a little while later to find that their sleeping bags had been zipped together to create one large sleeping bag, perfect for two.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his eye brows raised in curiosity as Bella bit her bottom lip and attempted to smile seductively at him. Edward was about to ask her to step out to change when Bella covered her eyes.

"It's okay, I won't look," she declared with a grin as Edward turned away from her and began to undress, leaving his boxers and a t-shirt on. Bella turned off their lantern when he was done and he slipped between the layers of sleeping bag, right beside Bella and turned onto his side, facing her. "You all good now?"

"Not too bad, I suppose," Edward replied as he inched towards her and reached up to the nape of her neck, pulling Bella closer to him for a kiss. As his hand made his way down her back, Edward froze. "Bella... what the...?"

Edward didn't have a chance to finish his question as Bella practically lunged towards him, pulling him against her for another kiss as she moved right against him, her nude body pressed against his clothed one. Edward pulled away, looking somewhat apprehensive, and as he attempted to speak, Bella covered his lips with her fingers.

"Listen, I don't know what the hell tomorrow will bring when we get back to Forks."

"Just because we will be home, it doesn't mean this has to end Bella. I... I feel things for you I haven't felt in a very long time... if ever."

"It's just... I don't want to look back and have regrets. Things could change when we get back, so I want one night... one night is better than none, right?" Bella asked, bashfully.

Edward wrapped his arm around her midsection and rolled them until he was hovering over her, his eyes dark and desperate as he kissed Bella roughly. She had been right, life could definitely change for them when they arrived in Forks and he refused to live his life with regrets. So, when Bella reached down and grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling it from his body, Edward relented.

Edward kissed her lips reverently before sliding slowly down her body, leaving a trail of kisses along her soft skin. He relished in taking his time, touching her body for the first time and feeling every supple and tender inch of her. His fingers ghosted along her side and up to her breasts, which Edward feasted upon with his eyes before following suit with his mouth; kissing and sucking her nipples as she mewled and moaned at his ministrations.

As he extended one hand between her open legs, Edward stroked the length of her slick pussy gently, feeling her breathing hitch as he began to rub faster at her sensitive clit. His cock was eager for attention and Bella stripped off his shorts underneath the cover of their sleeping bags, stroking his cock a few times to make Edward groan in arousal. The noises Bella made were simply heavenly to Edward, though nothing beat the sound of her gasp as he pushed her legs wide and slid himself inside her.

"Beautiful. You are so beyond beautiful," Edward declared as he kept a slow pace, thrusting inside of Bella, the sounds of their love making filling the small tent. Bella's fingers clawed at his lower back as she wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him further into her. She couldn't get enough of him.

"More... please more..."

"What do you need, baby?" Edward questioned, his lips latching to the side of her neck as he quickened his pace slightly.

"Harder, faster... please..." Bella asked breathlessly as Edward kissed her once more before pulling back and undoing one edge of the sleeping bag, their bodies tensing somewhat in the cool night air. Edward grasped one of her ankles and raised it onto his shoulder before he slammed back into Bella, giving her exactly what she wanted as he fucked her as hard as he could.

Their moans filled the night sky as they both reached the precipice, Bella falling first as she cursed her way through her build up before calling out Edward's name in ecstasy. As Bella's body tightened and shook around him, Edward shuddered through his release, his mouth slack as he came deep inside of the girl who had completely captured his heart.

If things didn't pan out the way he wanted in Forks, he could easily find himself heartbroken.


	15. Seattle

**I know, I didn't discuss birth control in the last update. You know what? Who cares? It's fiction. Let's say they were wearing those old timing prophalytics. Did you know they used to call it an 'English Riding Coat' No shit. :) For all intents and purposes, B's on the pill. Does it really need to be discussed every time they fuck? I'm a proponent of safe sex, but if you aren't smart enough to wrap it up and be safe, it's not my fault :) Rant over.**

* * *

**Location: Washington State**

**Prompt: Seattle **

Early the next morning, Edward lay awake staring at the girl huddled close against him and he tightened his arms around her. Their dark blue tent didn't succeed to keep the sunlight out, so their tent was growing warmer by the minute. Edward was however, relieved that the rain that had been forecasted seemed to stay away. As he looked at Bella once more, Edward determined that he had no regrets about what they had done the night before. If anything, Edward was worried about how things would progress, if at all, once they were in Forks.

Edward knew it was improbable that he could fall for someone so quickly, but he couldn't help the way he felt about Bella. She was unique, beautiful and unlike anyone he had ever met before, but more than anything, she was everything he didn't even know he was looking for. Sure, he had girlfriends in the past and enjoyed his time with them, some more than others of course, he couldn't help but feel like things were different. If they were to fall into a relationship, which he was scared to admit he wanted with her, he knew they would be perfect together.

As Bella stirred a little, Edward kissed his way across the back of her shoulders and Bella moved slightly so her ass was pressed right against his straining morning wood. Edward couldn't help the groan the escaped him and Bella opened her eyes, smiling brightly at him.

"Good morning," Bella said sweetly as she turned her face and Edward kissed her gently. Though he knew they were both tired and stiff from their night before, neither of them could help but escalate their morning greeting. Edward's hands roamed slowly down her side, lifting her leg onto his thigh, which opened her up for him. As they continued to kiss tenderly, Edward slipped his cock inside her heat and groaned at the feeling of being surrounded by her once again.

One of his hands ghosted up her hip and gripped her breast roughly as he pushed and pulled rapidly, their lips fused together as Bella moaned loudly against his mouth. She stretched her leg further, pulling Edward closer to her as the fingers from his free hand began circling her clit, causing her to gasp out loud.

"Oh... god, Edward... more," she urged as Edward continued thrusting his hips furiously and Bella bit down on her bottom lip to stop herself from calling out. Surely they had awoken up some nearby campers or woodland creatures with their fervent lovemaking, but Edward didn't care. He leaned his head down and kissed along the column of her neck as Bella came apart, moaning in ecstasy before Edward followed seconds later.

Needless to say, neither Edward nor Bella were in a hurry to pack up and get on the road that morning.

Once everything was packed and ready to go in the car, Bella had the map splayed out on a picnic table and was trying to determine the best route for them to take back to Forks.

"So, there's the scenic route along Hwy 12 through the Forest, and then we skirt to the south of Olympic National Park, or we can take the 101 north through Port Angeles. Does it matter which way we go?"

"No routes involve heading into Seattle?" Edward questioned as he kissed Bella's temple and watched her intently as she studied the map.

"Well, if we want to go back to Yakima, we could continue along Interstate 90, but it would be kinda pointless and take too long."

"I thought you weren't in a hurry to get home?"

"I'm not really, but it just seems silly to go back and out of our way, don't you think?"

Edward agreed wholeheartedly, and even though he was somewhat disappointed, he knew there would be more times for them to visit Seattle someday. Charlie Swan had trusted him to bring Bella home as quickly as he could, so Edward would do his best to win his trust. Plus, Edward had to admit he was a little curious about why Bella needed to get home so quickly. Neither Charlie or Bella had really provided him with any information.

"So, no to Seattle today, but one day." Edward gave Bella a hopeful smile as she folded up the map and kissed his lips sweetly.

"One day."

Two and a half hours later, Edward turned onto Hwy 101 as they continued their way home. Bella had been quiet since they left the campsite, and sat beside him focused on the book that Edward had given her. Deciding that they needed to have some sort of conversation about the future, Edward broke the silence.

"So, what happens once you get home?" Bella closed her eyes briefly and let out a small sigh. She knew this conversation would need to happen, but she was avoiding it at all costs. Though she loved her time with Edward, however brief, she truly had no idea what awaited her when she finally got back to Forks. "Are you going to stay around for a while or are you just stopping in for a visit."

"I have no idea."

"Okay... then why are you going home in the first place?"

"I have some business to attend to."

"For fucks sake Bella, stop being so bloody cryptic."

"Edward, I don't have the answers you are looking for," Bella shouted in the confines of his small car. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, unable to stop himself, even when Bella reached over and grasped his arm, trying to soothe him. "Listen, things are just... complicated... back home. I don't really want to go there, especially so soon after leaving, but I have no idea what it will be like when I get there."

"Are you going to leave again?"

"Probably, but I don't know when. I could leave tomorrow or I could leave next year. I have no idea, Edward."

"If I asked you to stay, would you?"


	16. Police Station

**I know, we will all stay for Edward, won't we? Bella, just happens to be a bit more complicated than we want her to be. **

* * *

**Location: Forks, Washington**

**Prompt: Police Station **

It was nearing five o'clock when Bella and Edward pulled into the town limits of Forks, Washington. Bella shuddered visibly as they passed the sign that read 'Welcome to Forks, Population 3,532' but Edward tried his best to pay her no attention.

Ever since Edward had asked Bella to stay, the car had been completely silent. She had no answer for him, especially not one that he would be happy with, so she turned into a pouty girl who stared out the window and avoided confrontation.

"Do you want me to drop you at your house?" Edward questioned as they passed the diner and pulled to a stop at one of the only stop lights in town. Bella glanced down at the clock and knew that her father should still be at work, so rather than direct Edward to her house where he could come and find her anytime he'd like, Bella decided against it.

"Nah, you can take me to the station. That's where my dad will be and I'm sure he will want to thank you for bringing me home in one piece and not being a serial killer." Bella cracked a small smile, trying to alleviate some of the tension in the car, but Edward was stone-faced.

"Okay."

"Do you know where it is?"

"Bella, this town isn't huge and I lived here long enough that I'm sure I can find it." Edward let out a groan of frustration and Bella decided to try and do something to clear the air and reduce the animosity that had settled in the car since their last conversation.

"I'm sorry if I couldn't give you the answer you were looking for, Edward," Bella said genuinely as she watched his knuckled turn white around the steering wheel. "I just have no idea what is going to happen when I get home. I know you want me to say that we can date or whatever, and that I will stay in Forks or even Port Angeles, but even if I was going to stay, I still have to make up my mind about college. I'm supposed to go in September, so we still wouldn't be together. Not really. I'd be at school and you'd be in Port Angeles molding the minds of young impressionable youths."

Bella tried to reach her arm out to offer some comfort to Edward, but he was quick to pull away.

"I just don't get why you would bother making any sort of attachment to me over the last few days. Why in the hell… when you knew you couldn't be bothered to stay in Forks… why would you let me fall so… fuck." Edward turned roughly into the parking lot of the Forks Police Department and quickly shut off the car. "I should have known better than to get involved, Bella. I'm smarter than all of this."

"I'm sorry." Bella fought against the tears that were threatening to fall as Edward climbed from the car and went to the trunk to begin unloading her bags.

As she stepped from the passenger seat, Charlie walked out of the station and was all smiles as he saw his little girl had finally arrived home. "Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Charlie proclaimed as he stepped down the stairs and took his daughter tightly into his arms. Bella gave a small grin to placate her father and make him think that she was happy to be home, but it couldn't have been further from the truth.

What Bella really wanted was to still be out on the road with Edward, with no particular destination in mind. There would be no worried about work, school or families to deal with. Everyone in their lives would be happy, healthy and most of all, happy that Bella and Edward had each other. Of course, as Bella looked at the scowl on Edward's face, she knew this was just a pipe dream.

"Hi Daddy," Bella said as Charlie set Bella back on the ground and he glanced over at Edward, the smile still on her father's face. "I believe you already know Edward Cullen." Charlie extended his hand towards Edward and though he looked hesitant, Edward decided to keep up pretenses for Bella's sake.

"Its nice to see you again, Chief."

"Please Edward… you have done me such a huge favor by bringing my Bells back to me, I figure you can call me Charlie now." Charlie clapped Edward on the back and was all smiles as Edward gave him a tiny grin in return. Edward could tell that Bella felt even more awkward standing there between her father and the man whose hopes and dreams she had crushed just hours earlier. "You should come over for dinner this weekend, as a thank you."

"Oh no…" Edward began.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Bella interrupted quickly. "Who knows what will happen in the next few days, Dad."

"Well, don't plan on going anywhere just yet, Bells. We have a meeting with the doctors in the morning and we can discuss the next steps then." Edward looked curiously at Bella, wondering what was going on since this was the first mention of doctors that he had heard. Then again, Bella hadn't told him anything about why she was heading home, in fact she hadn't revealed too much about herself at all, so Edward wasn't particularly shocked.

"It's really nice of you to offer, Charlie, but I'm only in Forks for a few days. I need to start apartment hunting in Port Angeles, seeing as that is where I am going to settle." Bella breathed a sigh of relief at Edward's refusal for dinner, but she could see Charlie was beginning to grow suspicious.

"Well alright, Edward, but don't be a stranger and tell your mother that she needs to come around to the house and pick up some old books I'm donating for a library fundraiser she's helping with." Edward nodded and shook Charlie's hand once more before glancing down at Bella with the saddest face she had ever seen.

"Thanks so much for the ride, Edward."

"Yeah… have a nice life, Bella."


	17. Greenhouse

**Hi All! My RL drama is hopefully coming to a close **fingers crossed** but it's the reason why I'm delayed in updating today. My new story, Dancing On My Own, now has a banner and you can see it over on Facebook. It will begin posting when I've finished posting this story. Who's excited?**

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**Location: Forks, Washington**

**Prompt: Greenhouse **

Once they left the station, Charlie convinced Bella into going with him to the diner for a quick bite to eat. Though they were left alone, which was a rarity since everyone knew Charlie in town, Bella could feel the patrons eyes following them and they looked saddened for her. This was one of the reasons why Bella hated that she had to return to Forks so quickly after she left.

"So, did the townsfolk stop talking to you or something?" Bella asked as she took a small bite of her peach cobbler, her appetite next to nil, though she couldn't tell Charlie that. He had enough to worry about without adding her eating habits to the fray.

"Nah, most of them are still the same. I just think people don't know how to talk to me now, you know?" Bella nodded softly as Charlie stretched his hand across the table and grasped Bella's firmly within his. "Listen, so you are prepared, I want you to know it's not going to be all sunshine and roses over the next few days."

"I didn't expect it to be," Bella answered honestly.

"Good. I just don't want there to be any misconceptions about everything. The doctors will be blunt, like they always are, and there will be times where you will want to run, but I need you to stay."

"I will, Daddy." Bella could see that since she had left her father had lost a few pounds and had clearly lost some sleep as well. She hated to see him in such disarray, so she as being as honest as she could when she said she would stay. Though her tendency was to run when things got tough, Bella would do anything for her father, and if this meant staying… she would stay as long as she could.

"Thanks, Bells."

A little over an hour later, Bella walked through the front door of her father's house and immediately felt like she was somewhere else. Though his small two-bedroom house was always considered cozy, it was now filled with all sorts of knick-knacks, photos and blankets spread out on the couch, which Bella hadn't seen in years. It was clear that Renee's stamp was all over the house once again.

Bella tentatively made her way towards the mantel where an old picture of her in her ballet costume rested between two trophies Charlie had won at the local Forks Chili Cook-Off. "Your mom put it there."

"I figured as much," Bella said with a sigh as she turned to head into the kitchen and was surprised by the greenhouse she found where the old back porch used to sit. "How long was I gone? I mean… this is a major undertaking, Dad."

"It wasn't too bad. Billy came out one weekend with a few guys from the reservation and we got it done." Bella flinched at the mere mention of the reservation since she still felt horrible about her break up with Billy's son, Jacob. "Since I know you won't ask, Jacob is doing fine these days. He seems to be getting over you, finally."

"It's about time. Let me guess…Leah?"

"How did you know?"

"I wasn't blind, Dad. She wanted him the whole time we dated, and to be honest, she's much better suited to him than I ever was." Charlie seemed indifferent to the entire conversation and Bella felt bad that the friendship between Charlie and Billy had become strained following her less than amicable breakup with Jacob, but she felt somewhat better to know they were working it out. "Anyways, why is there a greenhouse where the porch used to be?"

"Renee suddenly got a gardening bug."

"Is that like how she got a pottery bug or the macramé flu? Or what about the 'I'm incredibly selfish so I'm going to walk out on my husband and teenage daughter when things aren't going my way'-isitis?"

"Bella," Charlie chided as Bella sat down on a stool in front of her father. "Renee has always been…"

"Selfish? Self-Centered? Overbearing?"

"I was going to say different."

"Well that's putting it mildly," Bella replied sarcastically as Charlie rolled his eyes at his daughters' dramatics.

"Bells, I'm not going to pretend like you and your mother had the best relationship ever, but there comes a time where you have to be the bigger person in all of this because your mother… she simply can't."

"The whole fucked up part of this is that I shouldn't have to be the bigger person, Dad. She's the adult… she's my mother. She shouldn't have left in the first place. If she had been mature enough to deal with the fact that my inability to dance didn't mean the end of her life, then none of this would have happened," Bella snapped at her father as he nodded his head at her solemnly.

Charlie understood the unenviable position that Bella was in better than anyone else. After all, when Renee showed up a few months ago at his door begging for his forgiveness for having left him and their daughter in their time of need, he was tempted to simply slam the door in her face. However, Charlie took one long look at his ex-wife and could immediately sense something was wrong.

Renee was lacking the life that used to live in her eyes. She looked tired, downtrodden and had lost enough weight that it was noticeable to Charlie, who hadn't seen her in over two years. Renee's hair looked shorter, but also different in texture and color, which was something he couldn't explain away. As he let her into his home, Charlie had immediately offered her a place to sit as he could see Renee was beginning to falter in her steps and his concern for her skyrocketed. Though he didn't care much for his ex-wife after the callous way she left their family, he didn't wish any ill will towards the mother of his daughter. It wouldn't take Renee more than five minutes after she walked into the house to tell Charlie exactly why she was there.

Renee had stage II pancreatic cancer and was given only months to live. Unfortunately for Bella, those months were now just days.


	18. Hospital

**Each one of you is awesome and I'm sorry for my slackass reviews. RL drama still rocking on, but posting my new story yesterday, and this one day, helps put a smile on my face.**

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**Location: Forks, Washington**

**Prompt: Hospital **

As Bella walked through the quiet halls of the cancer ward at Forks General Hospital, she felt displaced. The pale green walls and landscape paintings were supposed to make her feel welcomed, but Bella felt anything but. Charlie walked solemnly beside his daughter, knowing full well what Bella was about to face. Charlie had helped Renee through the worst of the cancer and knew first hand how Bella would react to see her mother deteriorating.

Just as they neared the door of her room, Renee's doctor stepped out, scrawling furiously on the clipboard before sliding it in the holder just outside the door. "Charlie, good to see you again."

"Dr. Marcus, I'd like to introduce you to Bella," Charlie announced as the doctor smiled brightly at Bella for just a moment.

"It's nice to meet you, Bella, I just wish it was under better circumstances. Your mother has been talking about you for weeks now." Bella simply nodded her head, unsure of what to say to the man who was trying to make her mothers' final days as peaceful and painless as possible. "Renee is sleeping right now, but you are welcome to go in. Charlie, when you have a few minutes, I'd like to discuss some arrangements with you."

"I'd like to get Bella settled in with Renee and then I can come down to your office, if that's alright?" Bella paused as the men agreed to meet a little bit later in the morning. However, as they spoke, Bella realized she wasn't okay with this. Though she was distant from her mother for the past few years, she suddenly felt a need to be included in the plans.

"What kind of arrangements?"

"Hospice," Dr. Marcus replied simply. "Your mother has reached the point that there's nothing further we can do for her here at Forks General. Unfortunately, her final days are quickly approaching and all we can do is make Renee comfortable."

"So, where is this hospice and how much does it cost?" Bella was jumping right to the point, which surprised Charlie. His daughter had been so closed off about everything regarding Renee and the decline of her health that he didn't expect a change in Renee's final days.

"Well… I have discussed the specifics with your father regarding payment, so you can hash that out with him. As for its location, Dr. Cullen has financed a hospice here in Forks that is run by volunteers and medical staff through a family trust and generous benefactors. The Cullen Hospice is only a few miles from here and is one of the best in the state of Washington. They provide individuals who are dying, and their families, with high quality palliative care in a home-like setting. Talk to your daughter and let me know what you decide." Dr. Marcus smiled briefly at Charlie and Bella before patting Charlie on the back and heading away from them.

Charlie grabbed Bella's arm gently and pulled her down the hallway to the empty family room to discuss what Dr. Marcus had skirted around regarding finances.

"So… the cost of the hospice… is covered," Charlie forced out as Bella's eyes grew wide.

"By who?"

"My medical benefits."

"How is that possible?" Bella questioned. She was completely confused by her father's statement. Charlie and Renee had divorced years earlier, so Bella couldn't comprehend how this was happening. "Did you get married again? Please tell me you didn't marry her again. Please?" Bella's voice cracked as Charlie forced her to sit down and Bella rested her head on his shoulder.

"Listen, there was a screw-up with our divorce and the signed papers were never actually filed and finalized," Charlie admitted as Bella's mouth fell open in surprise. "I know it seems a little rough for you, but when I found out, I didn't even tell your mother. She was already sick and we needed the medical coverage. I hadn't taken her off my coverage at work because I had just forgotten. I had to become a single father to a heartbroken teenage girl. That was my only concern at the time."

"So she gets something else she doesn't deserve?" Bella snapped.

"No, Bella. If anything, this is a blessing for us. Renee doesn't have the money to afford all of her medical treatments. The insurance is covering everything, including her hospice care. I couldn't pay it without incurring hundreds of thousands of dollars in bills, but I also couldn't let her pass away with no dignity whatsoever."

Bella nodded softly against her father's shoulder. Though she didn't particularly like the fact that her father was still married to Renee because of a legal technicality, she could understand the benefit of it in that moment. Cancer treatments were not cheap and neither of them could truly face the financial burden that would befall them if Renee had no insurance coverage.

"Are you okay with all of this?"

"I will be," Bella replied, pushing the tears from her face as she sat up and tried to be as strong as she could. "How soon till they move her to the hospice?"

"Well, I have some forms to fill out, but I think she can probably be moved as soon as tomorrow," Charlie explained softly as he wrapped his arm over his daughter's shoulder. "It's for the best."

"I know."

"Are you ready to go and see Renee now?"

"Not really, but I don't think I will ever be ready."

Charlie took Bella's hand in his own and led her from the room to go and see Renee. As they walked over the threshold of her door, Bella tried not to react, but she almost didn't recognize the woman who was wasting away in the bed in front of her.

Tubes were connected to her sallow, yellowed face and Renee had lost a fair amount of weight. What was left of her hair was covered with a colorful scarf and Bella couldn't help but notice that even her breathing was shallow.

"I didn't know it was this bad." Bella choked out a sob as Charlie hugged his daughter tightly against his side.

"Bella, she's only got days left. Though she wasn't always the best, she was still the only mother you have ever known. Please forgive her or you will never be able to forgive yourself."


	19. Gymnasium

**I have some of the most wonderful readers in the fandom, so thank you all for your kind words and heartbreaking stories. Fuck Cancer, right? I'm sorry to say that the sadness will continue for a little bit, but there's a glimmer of hope. After all, there's only 6 chapters after this one.**

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**Location: Port Angeles, Washington**

**Prompt: Gymnasium **

Port Angeles Middle School was the last place Edward wanted to be on this cloudy mid August day. The school year was set to begin in two weeks and all the teachers were currently huddled in the gymnasium for orientation, and it seemed Edward wasn't the only new teacher this year.

Principal Greene took the first part of the session to make everyone introduce themselves and after Edward recounted his education and how happy he is to be there, a woman named Maggie O'Leary, the new librarian has her turn. The moment she began to speak, Edward realized why she seemed so familiar to her.

"I'm Maggie O'Leary. Born and raised in Forks, Washington and I went to the University of Illinois for Library and Information Studies. I moved home because I loved it here, even with the rain, and I wanted to be around my family." Everyone welcomed Maggie and she returned to her seat. It wasn't until the break that Edward was able to approach her.

"Mags?" he asked softly as she turned around and smiled happily at him.

"I was worried you wouldn't recognize me." Maggie had been correct in her assumption, because though Edward thought she looked familiar, he couldn't place her. Maggie's hair was considerably shorter and darker than it had been in high school, and Edward figured she had probably lost at least 50 pounds.

"I didn't recognize you actually," Edward admitted sheepishly. "You have to admit, you've changed a bit since you got back to town."

"For the better, I hope."

"Yeah, definitely for the better." Edward and Maggie had an awkward hug and spent the next fifteen minutes of their break catching up before they were forced to follow Principal Greene on a tour of the school with the other new teacher, Mrs. Side, who would be teaching kindergarten.

During lunch, Edward and Maggie sat together in the staff room and discussed their respective moves back to Forks. "So what made you come back to Forks?"

"My sister, mainly," Maggie admitted as she took a small bite of her salad. "Siobhan's a single mom now that her lousy, two timing husband up and left her for his twenty year old secretary. Her son, Liam, is five and will be going to school here actually." Edward didn't remember much of Siobhan, because she was a few years older than he was, but he was glad that Maggie still had some family left in town. "I'm living with them in Forks right now until I find my own place. Siobhan's a nurse at Forks General and she can use all the help she can get with Liam."

"My dad is still working there."

"Ah yes, Dr. Cullen... all the girls certainly loved seeing him when we were younger." Edward looked at Siobhan completely floored at her comment about his dad. "Oh come on, Edward. Your dad is an attractive looking man. Hell, he still is. All the girls in high school really wanted you to grow up as nice as he did."

"Yeah, but none of them liked me back then."

"You'll show them now, though," Maggie laughed. "I bet you twenty bucks you will get hit on by one of the teachers here before the end of the day." Edward choked on his soda as Maggie patted his back roughly.

"So... why are you still single?"

"I actually left someone special behind in Illinois. We were together for two years when I suddenly realized I just wasn't in love anymore, if I ever was." Edward understood exactly what Maggie was talking about, since he was beginning to second guess how he had felt about Bella during their trip together. The more he thought about it, the more he began to believe that he fell so quickly, and so hard, for Bella simply because of the circumstances they were thrown into.

When Edward looked at Maggie once more, he was suddenly hit with a great idea. Something to help both of them move on. "Well, if you ever want to... maybe go out... on a date, let me know."

Maggie gave Edward a sympathetic smile as his heart fell into his gut. "As sweet as the offer is, you don't exactly have the right parts for me." Edward cocked his head to the side slightly and looked at Maggie with utter confusion on his face. "I'm gay, Edward. So, unless you have a vagina inside those Dockers of yours, you are shit out of luck. Now... did you say you drove from New York City all the way back to Forks?"

Edward took a sip of his drink and used the moment to compose himself. He had tried to open himself up, albeit briefly, to Maggie and was taken by surprise. Thankfully, she seemed like a very forgiving and patient woman, one he would be friends with for a long time to come. "Yeah, I drove because I didn't really want to have to sell my car. It was an easy enough drive and I stopped for sleep every night. Plus..." Edward hesitated, but decided to just get it out in the open. "I had company."

"Oh really?"

"I picked up a hitchhiker in Rochester."

"And they didn't try to farm your kidney and leave you for dead in a bathtub of ice cubes?" Maggie asked with a laugh.

"It was Chief Swan's daughter." Maggie dropped her fork with a thud and her face turned pale as Edward gave her a tiny smile. "She was a good enough driving companion and the Chief was in some sort of rush to get her home."

"Yeah, I can imagine."

"What does that mean?" Once again, Edward was confused by his conversation with Maggie. It was clear that she knew something about the Chief that Edward wasn't privy to and his curiosity was piqued.

"Siobhan is a nurse at the cancer ward of Forks General. She has been Renee Swan's nurse for the past few weeks. If Chief Swan was in a rush to get his daughter home, it's probably because Renee only has a few days left to live."


	20. Bedroom

**Nothing like some Saturday morning drama and angst, right? Enjoy! See you tomorrow morning!  
**

* * *

**Location: Forks, Washington**

**Prompt: Bedroom **

Though he knew this was the last place he should be, Edward couldn't help himself. After his enlightening conversation with Maggie at school, Edward needed to talk to Bella. He couldn't fight off this feeling that she needed him, but was too stubborn to do anything about it.

So, with a little research, Edward found himself outside the Chief Swan's house, looking up at a brightly lit open window he could only pray belonged to Bella. He tentatively scaled the tree that was directly outside her open window and breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw her sitting on her bed, reading a book. Edward didn't even bother to knock or alert her to his presence before he climbed into her room as quietly as possible.

"Jesus Fucking Christ, Edward," Bella shouted out in surprise as she closed her book and threw it at him in shock. "What on earth do you think you are doing?"

"Breaking and entering?"

"No shit, Sherlock." Bella was frustrated that Edward had taken it upon himself to break into her bedroom. She had begun to get over him, but seeing him in front of her, looking just as broken as she felt, made her feelings return in spades. However, she wouldn't be swayed into a relationship. She was getting the fuck out of Forks as soon as she could. "Listen, I think it's really sweet you scaled the tree outside my room to try and... I dunno what... it's all very Romeo and Juliet of you, but you can go."

"I heard about your mom." Edward didn't know how the hell he was supposed to get Bella to open up to him, but he was going to do whatever he could. The more he had thought about Bella's attitude during their last day together, the more it all began to make sense. She was shutting herself down from a relationship with him because she was about to prepare with the imminent death of her mother. If Edward had been in her shoes, he would have wanted someone he cared about to be there for him.

"So... you're here to what? Give me a shoulder to cry on? Give me your pity because my mother is dying? Or were you just looking for more sex?" Bella snapped angrily at Edward.

"Stop it. I came here because I thought you might want to talk to someone about it."

"Let me guess, you are a psychiatrist now?"

"No Bella, but I am someone who cares." Edward was trying to engage Bella into talking with him about what was going on in her head, but she only seemed to want to project her anger and frustration on him. If that was what she needed, a verbal punching bag, Edward decided he could be that for her too.

"What a pile of crap! You want me to sit here and tell you how I feel like the world's biggest piece of shit because I don't want to forgive my mom for being the most selfish person I have ever met, even though she is dying in a hospice bearing the name of your family."

"Do you need to yell at me because of that? What my father does with his money has nothing to do with me, but don't you think you should feel somewhat buoyed by the fact that your mother is being well cared for in her final days?" Bella sat down on her bed and buried her face in her hands as she began to cry ugly, fat tears.

"I should be happy about that," Bella admitted through her tears. "But she left me when I was fifteen years old so because I didn't live up to her expectations. I couldn't be the prima ballerina that she wanted me to be because she pushed me so fucking hard I got hurt. So, to be brutally honest, I can't help but feel like this is karma. Renee Swan vanished, barely sending me birthday cards each year and now she is dying of pancreatic cancer. I don't think she deserves my forgiveness for how she belittled, ignored and left me, but everyone around me disagrees."

Edward tentatively moved towards Bella and sat down beside her. When she felt the bed compress, Bella couldn't stop herself from resting her head on his shoulder and accepting whatever comfort Edward could give her. With baited breath, Edward wrapped his arm around her and Bella eased herself into his side with a sigh. It was a small victory, but to Edward it was a victory nonetheless.

"My dad says I will regret it if I don't make amends with my mother before she dies."

"And what do you think?"

"I think I am being selfish by not wanting to forgive her."

"Why?" Edward asked curiously as he reached for Bella's hand, but she grew stiff beside him. She was beginning to shut herself off again.

"I don't want to forgive her because of the way she treated me and then left when I needed her the most. But then I think harder about it and I realize I don't want to be a selfish bitch like my mother was when she decided to leave. I am stronger than she is and I should be able to give her this peace before she dies, right?"

"Ultimately the decision is yours, Bella. Do you want my opinion?" Bella nodded her head softly as she pushed some tears from her cheeks with the back of her hands. "I think your father is right. If you don't do something, you will probably regret it. Do you want that to follow you around for the rest of your life?"

"Why did you really come here, Edward?"

"I came because I wanted to be here for you, just like I said when I got here." Edward paused as Bella eyed him up suspiciously. "And I missed you."

"I... Edward, I can't be whatever it is you think you want. I need to focus on... I need to handle things with Renee and then when she has passed away, I'm leaving again. I don't think I can stay."

"Did I ever ask anything of you, Bella?"

"No... but you want me to stay and I can't."

Bella began to cry again and Edward stood up from the bed and made his way back to the window, lifting his leg to step through it. "One day you will realize that you have more regrets than you can count, Bella. And me... I'll be right up at the top of list because you will regret pushing me away."


	21. Beach

**You continue to astound me with your kind words. Thank you.  
**

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**Location: Forks, Washington**

**Prompt: Beach **

The morning after Renee was relocated to the Cullen Hospice, Bella decided to go and visit her. Charlie had to head into work, and though they had been gracious with the additional hours he was having away from the station, there was always work for the police chief to do.

As Bella parked her mother's old Toyota in the parking lot, she sat behind the wheel of the car and felt like a lead weight was keeping her in place. Though she needed to go inside and finally determine whether she was going to make amends with her mother or not, Bella couldn't move. She was scared of seeing her mother in her deteriorating state.

After Edward left her bedroom the night before, Bella broke down and cried, horrible sobbing tears until she had none left to shed. Edward had been nothing but honest with his feelings and Bella had lied to his face about wanting to stay with him. If Forks hadn't held such painful memories for her, Bella probably would have stayed for him. She also knew that both Edward and Charlie had been right; Bella wouldn't be able to live with herself if she didn't at least attempt to reconcile with her mother.

Just as Bella was about to step from the car, there was a soft knock on her window, and there stood a lovely looking brunette in pink scrubs. "Are you alright?" she questioned politely. Bella climbed from the car and locked it behind her, as she reassured the nurse that she was fine.

"I'm fine, I'm just trying to get up the nerve to go in."

"I've never seen you here before, so I'm gonna guess that you might be related to Renee Swan."

"You're pretty good," Bella stated with a soft smile as the woman led the way inside the hospice and brought her to the main desk.

"Well, when your name is on the building, you tend to know what is going on here." Bella's mouth fell open as she realized that she was speaking to Edward's mother. Her mind began moving a mile a minute as she wondered what, if anything, he had told his mother about her. "You're going to need to sign in here with Afton, and then if you want, I can show you to her room. I'm Esme, by the way. Esme Cullen."

"It's nice to meet you Esme, I'm Bella Swan." The women shook hands and Esme waited patiently as Bella signed the guest log. If Edward had told his mother anything about their recent dalliance, she was being very sweet in not mentioning it.

As they walked side by side down the bright and cheerful hallway, Bella felt her steps slow as they neared Renee's room. "I know you are probably nervous about seeing your mother, but I can assure you, we are doing everything we can to make her last days as restful and painless as they can be. Your father informed us that your mother used to live in Florida and loved the beach, so we decorated her room a bit to make her more comfortable.

Esme pushed open the door to Renee's room and Bella was surprised to see the fake palm trees that decorated the corner of the room. There was also a lantern hanging that looked like the sun and the shade on her window was painted with an ocean scene. It was homey and Bella had to admit, the gesture was one that Renee would have appreciated, if she were coherent enough to understand.

"Renee has had a good morning here, so far. She was given her morning dosages about two hours ago and she went back to sleep. She was coherent earlier though, so that was good." Bella nodded softly as Esme continued to explain to her what they were doing to make Renee's final days comfortable. "We offer music therapy for the patients, so if you think it would be of benefit to your mother, we can play music through the sound system in her room."

"She always loved the Beach Boys," Bella stated as Esme patted Bella's shoulder in support.

"I'll see what we can do," Esme commented gently before she began to head out the door. "Oh, and Bella, we're not just here for your mother. We're here for you too. We offer a bereavement support program, so if you need someone, you know where to look."

"Thank you, Esme." Bella sat down in the chair beside Renee's beside as she heard the door close softly behind her. Bella struggled to hold herself together as she bent her head towards the floor, unable to look her mother in the eye.

"You always had to be dramatic, didn't you, Mom?" Bella said softly as she tentatively reached her hand out to grip her mother's gently within hers. "You could never accept things for how they were so when you were told you were sick, you didn't get help. No, had to go and let the cancer ravage your body as you went out and enjoyed your last days until you showed up on Dad's doorstep, too sick for him to turn you away. It was like you had one final moment of complete selfishness."

Bella let out a huge sigh as she heard the opening strains of 'In My Room' by the Beach Boys began to fill the room. It was a rather fitting song, Bella thought briefly before she continued to talk to her sleeping mother.

"And you have had hundreds of selfish moments, haven't you, Mom? I really thought you leaving Dad and me after I got hurt and wasn't able to dance was the highest form of selfish, but you surprised me yet again. Renee Swan couldn't become a prima ballerina since she got knocked up, and now her daughter wouldn't be one either.

"Did you know the only thing I wanted was for you to be proud of me, mom?"

Bella couldn't stop the tears from coming and she tried to push them away with the back of her hand, but it was al for naught. They tears couldn't stop.

"Dad and Edward…" Bella paused, unsure of what to say about the man who had captured her heart, but she was too broken to give it to him. "Edward is the best man I have ever met, other than Dad, of course. You probably would have tried to sleep with him if you had met him, but he would have shut you down. He seems to really like me, but I can't fathom why. I've been nothing but selfish…" Bella froze as she realized that the way she had been treating Edward was exactly what her mother would have done. Bella strived for so long to never be like Renee, but in truth, she was a lot more like her mother than she cared to admit.

"Dad and Edward think I should forgive you of your past sins. That if I don't, it will follow me forever as something I regret not doing, and I think they might be right. So, I forgive you. I forgive you for being so selfish and running away when I needed you the most. I forgive you for taking advantage of Dad's inability to say no to you, and I forgive you for never apologizing to me for leaving. Regardless of everything, I never would have wished this on you."

Just as Bella was about to stand up and leave, unable to stomach being in the room any longer she felt her hand being gripped and looked up to see Renee's shallow eyes watching her. Renee opened her mouth to speak and though Bella attempted to stop her, since she knew her voice would be sore and hoarse, Renee forced out the words Bella longed to hear.

"I'm sorry."


	22. Airport

**Best readers ever. I'm sorry if I made any of you cry. I should have bought stock in Kleenex before I posted.  
**

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**Location: Forks, Washington**

**Prompt: Airport **

Two days after Bella and Renee reconciled, Renee passed away.

Charlie and Bella had been with her in the room, happily reminiscing on happier times, while also reassuring her that it was alright if she had to go. They knew that her passing would relieve her pain, and they both felt a sense of peace when she took her last breath. Though they held on to each other and cried, Charlie and Bella both knew this was for the best.

Esme came in and offered her condolences, promising that she would get in touch with the funeral home to get things in motion. Bella thanked her genuinely and prepared to drive Charlie home. Just as they stepped out the front door of the hospice, Edward was pulling into the parking lot in his Volvo. Before Charlie could see him, Bella ushered her father to the car and left as quickly as they could.

Bella didn't have time to deal with Edward _and_ the repercussions from her mother's death. She could only handle one thing at a time.

When they got back to the house, Charlie had himself a beer while catching up on SportsCentre before he picked up the cordless phone beside his chair and began to call his friends and family to let them know about Renee. Bella chose to go upstairs and take a shower, letting the hot water practically scald her body as she tried to cover up some of her heartache with pain. Unfortunately, she couldn't get her mind off her mother and he topic of her own mortality.

"I'm going to go pick up your Aunt Liz tomorrow afternoon from the airport," Charlie announced as Bella finally went downstairs, her hunger winning out over her need for privacy. "I also ordered some pizza."

"I can go pick up Liz, it's no problem."

"Bells, I would really prefer to go."

"No, what you would prefer would be to not have to worry about me going to the airport and taking off for parts unknown, right?" Charlie nodded sadly as Bella patted him on the shoulder. "I'm here till it's done, so don't worry."

"I'll still go get Liz, if it's alright with you?"

"Whatever, Dad."

Charlie looked intently at Bella as she sat down on the couch beside him and she jumped as the phone rang. Bella reached onto the coffee table and grabbed a slice of pizza as she tried not to listen to Charlie's conversation, but it was hard to avoid. Bella could hear bits and pieces about the funeral home and meeting with Pastor Webber, but she was still a bit confused.

"I'm going to get Liz tomorrow after we go down to the funeral home and make the final arrangements. Esme is having her transported there and we have an appointment at 11, alright?" Bella shuddered visibly at the thought of going to the funeral home to make arrangements. "I need your help with this stuff, Bella. While I'm getting Liz, I'd like you to go to the hospice and pick up Renee's belongings that we left there today."

"I won't let you down, Daddy," Bella stated firmly as her dad gave her a grateful smile, just as the phone rang again. Bella forced down her dinner as she listened to her father accept condolences from someone else he was friendly with. Though Bella knew her father was well-liked and had many friends, it wasn't until now, as everyone called him, that she could see just how much he was cared for.

Bella found herself hoping that one day she would be loved just as much as her father was. However, she also knew that considering how she pushed people away or kept them at arm's length, it was unlikely to happen.

Charlie and Bella met with the funeral home in the morning and made the arrangements for Renee's visitation and service. Renee had asked to be cremated, so Charlie made sure that part of her request was handled swiftly. They discussed flowers, music and eulogies, while Bella sat beside her father a little shell-shocked. It felt so strange to her to be making the final arrangements for Renee.

Once everything was done and Bella's mouth had dropped open when she saw the final bill, Charlie reminded her that he needed to go pick up Renee's sister, Aunt Liz.

"Are you sure you will be okay to go to the hospice?" Charlie asked as he and Bella stepped outside of the home and they paused. Bella looked up at the bright sun, something that wasn't common in Forks, and let out a small sigh.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. You go pick up Liz and I'll see you at home in a few hours, alright?" Charlie gave his daughter a gentle hug before getting into his large truck and heading away. Bella sat in Renee's old car for far too long before she finally gave up and decided to simply face the hospice head on.

When she arrived, Esme was at the front desk and smiled brightly at Bella before she stood up and wrapped her in a hug. "Bella, how are you doing, sweetheart?" Esme asked gently as she released her grip on Bella and they headed away from the front desk and to Esme's private office.

"Oh… I've been better."

"I'm sure you have, dear."

"My father sent me here to gather my mother's belongings." Esme patted Bella's hand and motioned for her to sit down in the chair across the desk from Esme.

"I have everything put aside for you, but before you go, I just wanted to remind you that at the Cullen Hospice we also offer bereavement assistance. If you feel like you need to talk to someone, Bella, we're here to listen." Bella nodded softly as Esme handed her a few brochures about losing a loved one, and then turned her chair around to grab a shoebox marked with Renee's name.

"It's that small?" Bella was surprised to see her mother's last days fit in such a small box.

"Well, she didn't have much brought with her from the hospital. Her bible, her wedding rings and a photo album filled with pictures of you… it's all in there. I'm guessing these were Renee's prized possessions."

Bella picked up the box and began to stand as she heard Esme's chair scrap across the hardwood floor. "For what it's worth Bella, you don't have to go through this alone. You may not be ready to come in here and discuss your loss with our staff, but I have a son who I know would love to help."


	23. Island

**You guys blow my mind. No really, it's blown. Thanks so much for reading and being so unnecessarily kind in your reviews. **

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**Location: Forks, Washington**

**Prompt: Island **

Dressed in a navy blue sleeveless wrap dress, Bella stood right beside her father in the late summer sun, as he greeted guests walking into the funeral home for the service for Renee. Bella had gone through the visitation the day before, spending over four hours greeting people she barely knew and old friends of Charlie's, as they came to offer their condolences, and she was beginning to feel numb.

The feeling of desperation had hit her and she found herself wanting to leave town as quickly as she could, yet again. However, she wouldn't leave her father at the time. As Charlie glanced over at his only child, he could tell she was itching to leave. It was her coping mechanism. When Renee had first come back to town, Bella had suddenly decided she wanted to travel for the summer, after saving up all her money from working the previous year, for college. Now, with Renee gone, Charlie knew Bella was uncomfortable again.

Pastor Webber approached them just before 11am and requested that Charlie & Bella take their seats as the service was about to begin. As Bella walked to her spot in the front pew beside her father, she passed Esme Cullen. Esme gave her a tiny smile and a knowing glance. Bella couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in the pit of her stomach as she realized that Edward hadn't come. Not that she had expected him to. Considering how they left things, Bella didn't expect to see Edward again.

The service for Renee was fairly subdued, though Pastor Webber did a wonderful job. Charlie gave a short but poignant eulogy where he forgave Renee for her past and thanked her for the best thing that had ever happened to him, his daughter. Bella teared up, even though she tried to stop the fat tears from coming, and Sue Clearwater offered her some tissues from behind her.

Once the service was completed, there was a small reception in the basement of the church. Charlie's house was far too small to welcome the number of guests that showed up, and this was truly the best location. Esme had graciously helped Sue arrange some last minute catering and the floral arrangements and photos of Renee from her healthier days had been moved down to the basement.

As Bella sat in a darkened corner of the room, she found herself feeling rather antsy. The main part of the day was over, and she was eager to get home and change into something far more comfortable. Unfortunately, just as she gathered up the nerve to whisper a quick goodbye to her father and leave, she watched as Edward walked through the door looking saddened.

Edward had wanted to attend the service, but being on a Monday morning, he was due at the school for work. Though school didn't begin until the next week, he still needed to prepare as much as he could, and he was also called in for a meeting with the principal to make sure things were on track. Edward got out of Port Angeles as quickly as he could, but he still missed it.

As he entered the room, his eyes darted around looking for either Bella or his mother. Unfortunately, his eyes found his mother first and he approached her anxiously.

"You're late."

"Don't remind me. I tried my best to get here but Principal Greene likes to talk just to hear himself speak," Edward answered bluntly. "How did things go?"

"The service was lovely, but like usual, Bella was closed off completely. She nodded at people and shed a few tears during the eulogy, but you could tell she wasn't herself." Esme was concerned about Bella's well being and even though she had told on her several occasions that the Cullen Hospice offered bereavement services, she didn't think that Bella would ever take her up on her offer of assistance. Bella was clearly independent and very closed off.

"Is she here?"

"Yeah, she's hiding in the corner, but I think she's going to leave sooner rather than later. I was hoping to get a chance to speak with her though." Esme winked at her son and Edward suddenly rued the fact that he had told his mother how he felt for the grieving girl. "Perhaps you should go talk to her and tell her what is in your heart?"

"I don't think she wants to hear it, mother."

"All girls want to hear that they are loved, Edward."

Edward grumbled unhappily at his mother as he picked up a piece of a roast beef sandwich and popped it in his mouth. When he turned around, he saw Chief Swan standing alone and approached him to offer his condolences. The man was remarkably composed, but this was a result of his job, and the fact that he had time to adjust to Renee's death. He knew it was coming, whereas Bella seemed in denial.

"Thanks again for bringing her home," Charlie remarked sullenly as he patted Edward on the back. "I owe you one."

"Don't worry about it, Chief."

"I think you can call me Charlie now, Edward." Edward nodded softly as he watched as the Chief looked towards the corner where Bella sat alone, nervously fiddling with the hem of her dress. "She cares about you, you know. She just doesn't know how to handle it all."

"That much is obvious," Edward answered simply. "I just wish she would realize I'm here to help her."

"You just need to give her a little bit of time. She wants to run, but she is enrolled at UDub for the fall, so she can't run far. She will come to her senses, even if she doesn't want to. Like John Donne wrote, 'No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.' Bella just needs to realize she isn't an island, and also, that she loves you too."


	24. Classroom

**Can you believe this is almost done? Tomorrow is the last chapter. Never fear, I will post the next chapter of my new multi chapter, Dancing On My Own, around 12 EST today. **

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**Location: Port Angeles, Washington**

**Prompt: Classroom **

The night of Renee's funeral, Charlie sat Bella down in the kitchen and offered her a bottle of Rainer Beer and a shoulder to cry on. She didn't shed a single tear, but he did manage to talk some sense into her. Charlie looked her straight in the eye and told Bella that she wasn't allowed to run anymore.

"How did you know?" Bella questioned as she played with the label on the bottle.

"Cause no matter what you say, you are more like your mother than you know," Charlie explained. "You are expected at UDub in a week for classes, and I didn't pay your tuition so you could skip out on it. You will be the first Swan to graduate college, Bella." Bella hung her head in shame as her father continued to rail on her for her behavior as of late.

"I really do appreciate the fact that you came home, but you weren't really here, Bells. I mean, physically you were here, but mentally you were anywhere else."

"I came home and did what you wanted of me."

"I wanted you to want it too, Bells. I didn't ask you to come home for me, I asked you to come home so that you could reconcile with your mother and not have any regrets in life. When Grandpa died I wasn't there, and I have regretted it every single day of my adult life. I don't want you to have the same regrets, Bella."

Bella nodded her head softly as her father moved his chair closer to her and wrapped her into a tight hug. "I also think you need to reconsider things with Edward."

Bella's head popped up from her father's chest and she looked at him with concern.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm not blind, Bells. I know you guys care about each other. In fact, I think he is in love with you, but you are the one pushing him away." Bella began to tear up as Charlie pointed out her mistakes with Edward. "He's a smart man, with a good head on his shoulders, and he loves you. If you feel even a little bit of what he feels, you shouldn't let that slip through your fingers."

"Isn't it too soon for me to love him? I've only really known him for two weeks, daddy."

"Bella, you need to listen to your heart for once in your life." Charlie hugged his daughter once more as she shed a few more tears for what had clearly been her first love. "Oh, and if I ever find him sneaking into your room, I won't look the other way like I did a few days ago."

Bella spent the next week in a haze of uncertainty as she tried to decide what to do about Edward. She packed her boxes for UDub and Charlie co-signed a loan for a reliable, used car for her to travel back and forth from school in. Bella looked into changing her courses when she got to school and determined that since she was taking general classes for the first semester, she still had time to change to a photography and media major. Things were no longer stagnant for Bella and she felt relieved to be moving forward in her life.

The more she thought about it all, the more she was glad she came home and had time, no matter how little, with her mother. Charlie had been right, she didn't need to live with regrets, and as she closed up her last box and loaded it into her small sedan, Bella realized she needed to see Edward.

Whether they reconciled or reached a point of closure, it had to be done. So, after Bella kissed her father goodbye, she promised him that she would call him once she got into Seattle. With a kiss on her forehead and an agreement for her to come home for Labor Day weekend, Bella got in her car and headed into the town. More specifically, she went to the Cullen Hospice to talk to Esme.

Esme was surprised to see Bella arrive, and even more surprised when Bella asked about Edward. She needed to know where she could find him, and Esme, though a bit hesitant that this young girl was about to break her son's heart, gave her the information for the school where he was teaching music.

An hour later, Bella parked her dark blue car in the parking lot at the school and went in to the front office. It took a little finagling to get the office administrator to give her the location of Edward's class, but she appealed to the woman's sense of romance and adventure. Sure enough, she told Bella to head down the hallway and turn right, looking for Room 117.

Edward was twenty minutes into his second class of the day and he was teaching a class of precocious and chatty eight year olds. As he sat in the front of the room, teaching them about scales, there was a sharp knock at his door, which surprised him.

"Evan, can you welcome our visitor," Edward requested, as the young boy closest to the door jumped up and opened the door excitedly.

"It's a really pretty lady," Evan exclaimed as Edward's mouth fell open as he watched as Bella walked through the door, waving shyly at him. "Are you teaching us too?"

"Uh no," Bella replied, her voice cracking slightly. "I was hoping I could talk to your teacher for a minute."

"Uh oh... are you in trouble, Mr. Cullen?" asked Ashley, one of the more chatty girls in his class.

"I hope not. Pull out your notebooks and write down a one page piece about your favorite song. I will collect them at the end of the class. I will be in the hallway with my guest for one moment." All the students reached into the bags for their supplies and set about the assignment Edward had given them. He crossed the classroom and quickly ushered Bella out, shutting the door behind him, as the students began to giggle and whisper incessantly. "What are you doing here, Bella?"

"I came to apologize."

"Well, you have really shitty timing," Edward replied in frustration. He was equal parts surprised and angry that Bella had the nerve to come to his workplace and blindside him.

"Yeah, I know I do, but I couldn't head to school without first telling you something."

"You are actually heading to school?" Edward was even more surprised to hear this revelation. He thought for sure that she would have left Forks after the funeral the week before.

"My dad talked some sense into me last week. I'm also planning to change my major to photography next semester." Edward cracked a small smile, knowing full well that Bella would be a wonderful photographer. He also felt vindicated that she had actually listened to him when he mentioned it to her during their trip. "I also wanted to tell you that I love you. I know, it's quick and probably the last thing you ever expected to hear me say, but it's true. I fell in love with you."

Edward's mouth fell open as he watched Bella be confident and honest with her feelings. It was so unlike her, considering she spent so long driving him away with her ambivalence and avoidance tactics.

"I just... I couldn't go to school without you knowing the truth."

Edward and Bella stood awkwardly in the school hallway, both of them unsure of what to say to the other. When Bella finally determined that she had had enough of the silence, and began to believe that Edward didn't feel the same for her, she hung her head to her chin and began to leave.

"Wait," Edward called out as he rushed towards her, his hand threading through the back of her hair as he pulled her towards him for a searing kiss that literally made her bones shake. "I love you too."

Edward's classroom erupted into loud claps and hollers as they watched from the open doorway. Edward waved them back to the class and turned back to the girl before him, ecstatic that she had finally come to her senses. "What do we do now?"

"Well... I have to go school, but I'd like to keep up... I'd like to be with you, and only you. I'll be home for Labor Day weekend, so maybe we can..."

"Have a date?" Edward offered as Bella nodded softly. "I'd like that."

"Me too, but right now I need to get to Seattle before my roommate steals the good bed in our dorm room." Edward wrapped his arm around Bella and kissed her again before peppering her forehead with light kisses. Edward reached into her pocket and began to enter his cell phone number into her new cell phone, a gift from Charlie. "Call me when you get there, alright? Oh and Bella...no running."

"No running."


	25. Italy

**Thanks again for coming along on this crazy little ride. Don't forget to check out Risbee's Twi25 o/s called Glimpses.**

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**Location: Volterra, Italy**

**Prompt: Italy **

After enduring over eight months apart, with weekend visits and constant phone calls as their only source of connection, Edward and Bella were relieved to be reunited. Though Charlie had been somewhat disappointed by her decision not to come home for the break between first and second year of college, he also wanted his only daughter to see the world and since Italy was her dream, who was he to discourage her?

So, when Bella approached Charlie about visiting Europe, he handed over the money he had left over from Renee's estate and told her to enjoy herself. Bella was shocked at his generosity, but it was Edward who convinced her to accept the money from her father. Renee would have wanted her to have it, he argued, as Bella looked at her boyfriend uncertain.

After Christmas, Edward and Bella had talked at length about doing something together for the summer months that they were both free of obligations. Of course, since he knew Bella dreamed of going to Tuscany, Edward suggested it immediately. They spent the next few months making plans, booking hotels and arranging their finances to make the trip feasible. With the extra funds from Charlie, their dream trip would easily fall into place.

On the third week of their trip, Edward and Bella found themselves at a local Bed and Breakfast just outside of Volterra, Italy. They had rented a small 3 room villa with a little patio and sprawling views of the lush Italian countryside, and they couldn't have been happier. The trip had far exceeded Bella's expectations, and the travel companion wasn't too shabby either.

As Bella rolled over in bed, the bright orange sheets clinging to her tired body, she looked at the beautiful man beside her, still surprised that she was his.

In hindsight, Bella knew she was screwed the moment Edward pulled over his car in Rochester and picked her up. There was just something about him that called to her and though he was older and clearly wiser, Bella felt a connection with Edward that she had never felt before. He listened to her, encouraged her and loved her unlike any other.

Bella climbed carefully from the rickety old bed, which made far too much noise for their liking during intimate moments, and grabbed a t-shirt from Edward's drawer. She made her way into the kitchen and began making them a simple breakfast of cappuccino, brioche and croissants with jam. Bella laid out everything on the patio table and was about to go wake up Edward, when he approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck softly.

"Well, this is a nice surprise," Edward remarked as he took a seat and pulled Bella onto his lap.

"I figured we should eat something before heading out today. I don't want to be caught hungry and in the middle of nowhere like yesterday." Bella blushed a deep shade of red as she remembered hiking to Monte Forato. It had been a spur of the moment decision and they weren't fully prepared, nor did they expect to stop part of the way through to make love in the dense woods, only to be found part coital by a tour group. Needless to say, the hike was never finished and Bella never got the photos she was hoping to get though Bella had spent a lot of their time taking pictures of their surroundings and all the sites they saw, which were numerous.

"I thought we could do the cooking class that the Villa was offering today?" Edward suggested as he offered Bella a bite of his chocolate croissant. He couldn't quite get over the fact that breakfast in Tuscany was a lot more like dessert back in the United States. Edward was sure he had gained about ten pounds since they arrived on Italian soil, but Bella certainly wasn't complaining.

"Or it's supposed to be really nice and warm today, so we could just lounge by the pool?" Bella winked at Edward and he held her tighter against him, wanting to be as close to her as possible. "I have that new bikini I got in Florence to wear."

"Staying by the pool it is," Edward agreed as he kissed Bella simply against her lips. "Or we could go to the beach. I think Maria said there was a beautiful beach in Cecina, which is about an hour away."

"Let's stay here for a few more days, and then we can make our way to Cecina and stay there for a bit. There's still more of the countryside I want to capture before we head over to the sea." Edward easily agreed and as they finished their breakfast, he couldn't believe his luck.

A year ago, if you had told Edward that he would have met the woman of his dreams along the side of the highway, hitchhiking her way to Seattle, he never would have believed it. Today, however, with a ring burning a hole in his luggage, just waiting for the right moment to propose, he couldn't be happier.

Bella was nothing like what he thought he was looking for in a woman, but she was infinitely better. She was stubborn, independent, smart, beautiful and above all, his. Edward first thought about proposing as they stood at the base of the leaning tower of Pisa, but were interrupted a group of Chinese tourists who begged Bella to take their picture. Then there was their first night in Arezzo where they had made love on the balcony of their hotel room under the stars, not caring who could see them, just that they were together.

The more time passed, the more anxious Edward became about proposing. He had already gotten the Chief's permission before he left Seattle, and had recently gotten a new job teaching music appreciation for a private school in Seattle, not far from the UDub campus, so things were beginning to fall into place, except one.

So, as Bella changed into her swimsuit, Edward quickly fashioned a little sign out of some cardboard that was not unlike the 'Seattle or Bust' sign that Bella had on her backpack the first day he met her a year earlier. As he reached for the little velvet box in his bag, Bella stepped out of the bathroom in the tiniest bikini ever, and Edward stumbled as he tried to get down on one knee, holding the sign between his teeth and the ring in his hand.

"What on earth are you doing?"

"Proposing, albeit I'm doing a crappy job." Bella's hand flew to her mouth as she stared down at the only man she could ever envision loving and smiled brightly. "What do you say? If we run, we run together."

"Yes."


End file.
